DOI: https://doi.org/10.36347/sjavs.2026.v13i03.001

Pages: 46-58

East Africa, a region of immense ecological and socio-economic diversity, is one of the world's most vulnerable areas to climate change. This comprehensive review synthesizes the existing body of knowledge on historical and projected trends in temperature and rainfall variability across the region, including Somalia, Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, and Burundi. Utilizing a qualitative literature review methodology, this study analyzes data from peer-reviewed articles, institutional reports from organizations like the IPCC, WMO, and FAO, and national climate policy documents. The findings reveal a significant and accelerating warming trend across East Africa, with mean annual temperatures having increased at a rate faster than the global average, particularly in recent decades. Projections indicate a further rise of 1.5°C to over 4°C by the end of the century, depending on global emissions scenarios. This warming is accompanied by a marked increase in the frequency and intensity of extreme heat events. Rainfall patterns are becoming increasingly erratic and unpredictable, characterized by high inter-annual and seasonal variability. The region's bimodal rainfall system, comprising the "long rains" (March-May) and "short rains" (October-December), is experiencing disruptions in onset, duration, and intensity. While long-term mean precipitation projections show high uncertainty, a consensus exists on the intensification of extreme events: more frequent and severe droughts, often linked to La Niña and negative Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) phases, and more intense, concentrated rainfall leading to devastating floods, often associated with El Niño and positive IOD phases. These climatic shifts are causing significant impacts, including glacier retreat on East Africa's iconic mountains, water level fluctuations in the Great Lakes, and severe disruptions to agricultural productivity and pastoral livelihoods. The review concludes that the combination of rapid warming