Uhuru meets EAC team to review security situation in east DRC

Former Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta (centre), the facilitator of the EAC-led Nairobi Process on the restoration of peace and stability in eastern DRC, with EAC Technical Advisors to his office when they met on January 31, 2023. He had convened an urgent consultation with the advisors to review the situation in eastern DRC. PHOTO | COURTESY | OFPP

By MARY WAMBUI

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The East Africa facilitator for the Nairobi Peace Process, former Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, has called for an urgent meeting with the EAC technical advisors to

review the deteriorating security situation in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

A statement from his office said the meeting was necessitated by the deteriorating security situation in eastern DRC, particularly in Ituri and North Kivu where serious escalation of fighting and targeted killings is reported to be taking place.

Mr Kenyatta again implored on the warring factions to immediately end their hostilities and return to dialogue and consultation in order to boost trust amongst themselves and end the suffering of the population.

Lend political goodwill

“The facilitator remains committed to the course of building peace in eastern DRC and continues to call on regional leaders and the international community to lend their political goodwill and support to the full realisation of the EAC-led Nairobi Peace Process for the restoration of peace and stability in Eastern DRC,” the statement added.

Heavy fighting resumed around Kitchanga as FARDC (DRC army) attempted to push out M23 rebels from the area on Tuesday morning in the latest gunfight experienced in the region this week.

Earlier, Rwandan forces serving under the East African Regional Force (EACRF) were expelled from the force’s headquarters in Goma, as tensions escalated following the shooting of a Congolese fighter jet in Goma on Friday last week.

“For security reasons, the DRC has ordered the commander of the Regional Force of EAC to repatriate to their country the officers, Rwandan members of the Force Headquarters based at Goma,” a communique to the Regional Force Commander stated.

The East African learnt that the Rwandan forces that left Goma were staffing officers based at EACRF headquarters in Goma.

They left due to the escalating situation between DRC and Rwanda but no other decision has been made regarding the pull-out of Rwanda from EACRF.

The rest of the Rwandan contingent has been situated at its border with DRC, as with the Burundi, Uganda and South Sudan forces.

mwambui@ke.nationmedia.com