By Stephen Ouma Bwire.
The current security crises in Eastern DR Congo that has led to an influx of several Congolese to flee their country to neighbouring has caused urgent concerns.
East African Community (EAC) Chairman and Kenyan President H.E Uhuru Kenyatta Mungai on June 15 invited the Presidents of Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan and DR Congo for a regional summit which convened June 20, 2022 in Nairobi.
President Uhuru Kenyatta also called for the deployment of a regional military force in the Eastern DR Congo to secure the area, protect civilians and re-establish peace.
He said the East African regional force must be deployed immediately in the provinces of Ituri region bordering Uganda, and North Kivu and South Kivu to stabilize the region and re-establish peace.
“The inhabitants of Eastern DR Congo have for long suffered and continue to pay the very high price in human lives and destruction of their goods,” said Mr Kenyatta.
The military chiefs of the seven regional countries that form the East African Community family Kenya, Uganda , Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan, and DR Congo, met June 19, 2022, to discuss deploying regional army in DR Congo.
But before final plans could be concluded DR Congo government rejected the participation of Rwanda in the regional military deployment on its territory. DRC accuses Rwanda of being behind M23 rebels while other Rwandan sources claim M23 has roots in Uganda.
The regional summit came at a time when tension between DR Congo and Rwanda has heighten after the recent insurgence of the M23 rebel movement where 26 DR Conge soldiers were killed. The Nairobi meeting resolved to leave out Rwandan troops on regional troop deployement as peace talks continue. DR Congo is accusing Rwanda of supporting the M23 rebels, who are predominantly of Tutsis Rwandan origin. But Rwanda has continuously refuted the allegations as untrue, baseless, and unfounded. Kigali authorities have instead alleged that M23 is linked to another East African country.
The situation worsened on June 17 after the killing of a DR Congo soldier near the Ugandan border which led to sporadic gunfire in Goma border between DR Congo and Rwanda where two Rwandan police officers were wounded DR Congo President Felix Tshisekedi said security continues to deteriorate in Eastern DR fundamentally because Rwanda is trying to occupy our territory, which is rich in gold, cobalt and coltan, for its profit.
“This is an economic war to control the resources, carried out by Rwandan terrorist gangs,” said
President Tshisekedi has called on the international community, especially the United States and the United Kingdom, to condemn the invasion and to put pressure on the Rwandan President Paul Kagame to withdraw his troops which have invaded Eastern Congo”■
