The East African Athletics Championships, also known as the Zone V Championships, was an international athletics competition between East African nations, organised by the Confederation of African Athletics (CAA). It was established in 1995,^[1] the same year as two other regional championships: the West and North African Athletics Championships and the African Southern Region Athletics Championships.^[2][3] The competition succeeded the East and Central African Championships as the premier regional athletics competition for the region. All the events at the championships were in outdoor track and field.^[1]

The competition programme featured 32 regular athletics events: seven track running events, two obstacle events, three jumps, and four throws for both the sexes.^[1]

Track running

• 100 metres, 200 metres, 400 metres, 800 metres, 1500 metres, 5000 metres, 10,000 metres

Obstacle events

• 100 metres hurdles (women only), 110 metres hurdles (men only), 400 metres hurdles, 3000 metres steeplechase (men only)

Jumping events

• High jump, long jump, triple jump

Throwing events

• Shot put, discus throw, javelin throw, hammer throw (men only)

Relay events

• 4 × 100 metres relay, 4 × 400 metres relay

Several events were held irregularly. Women did not compete in the steeplechase or hammer throw, and pole vault was not available as an event for either sex.^[1]