The founding of the African Union and the search for African unity

A dream defered

Abstract

These reflections are based on a presentation made by Judge Ben Kioko during the International Law Month @ Kabarak webinar on Reflecting on 25 years of the African Union Constitutive Act, organised by the Kabarak University Press on 7 August 2025. The essay discusses the two foundational African legal instruments – the Charter of the Organisation of African Unity and the Constitutive Act of the African Union, noting the reasons that necessitated the change from the former to the latter. This unique insider reflection of this transformational period highlights some aspects of the process of this change and the main issues or challenges, including during the early implementation of the Constitutive Act. It also shares some perspectives on the aborted processes for a Union Government and African Union Authority from 2005 to 2013.