The first version of the emblem was adopted in 2003 by the Community Emblem Act, 2003 when the Community only consisted of three members: Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. In 2007 the Community expanded to include Burundi and Rwanda. In 2008 to take into account this expansion of membership the Community Emblems (Amendment) Act, 2008 was passed, which modified the emblem to include Burundi and Rwanda.[1]
Despite South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Somalia having joined the Community in 2016, 2022 and 2024 respectively, the emblem has not been modified to include them on the map.