“Surrender or face joint military action” –EAC leaders warned armed groups in DRC

President Museveni, together with fellow East African Community leaders have given warning to all armed groups in the Democratic Republic of Congo  to surrender or face a joint military action.

On Thursday, the second Regional Heads of State Conclave on the Democratic Republic of Congo convened in Nairobi, the Kenyan capital.

The conclave, hosted by President Uhuru Kenyatta, was attended by DRC’s  Félix Tshisekedi, President Museveni(Uganda) and Everiste Ndayishimiye(Burundi) whereas Rwanda’s Paul Kagame was represented by the country’s Foreign Minister, Vincent Biruta.

The leaders took note of the situation in eastern DRC and of neighbouring countries and agreed to condemn all the armed groups in the region.

“To facilitate the implementation of the political and military or  security enforcement tracks the leaders directed that all armed groups in the DRC participate unconditionally in the political process to resolve their grievances,” a joint communiqué from the meeting reads in part.

The leaders warned that failure to do so, the armed groups would be handled militarily jointly by the region.

“All foreign armed groups in the DRC must disarm and return unconditionally and immediately to their respective countries of origin. That failure to do so these groups would be considered as negative forces and handled militarily by the region.”

To further show seriousness on the matter, the East African leaders agreed to establish a regional force that will help contain and “where necessary” fight the negative forces and the meeting directed the urgent deployment of that force.

“The meeting agreed that the establishment of the regional force to fight the negative forces should commence immediately under the leadership of the DRC. Towards this end, the meeting directed that planning for such a force commence with immediate effect with the full consultation of relevant authorities in the region,” the leaders said in the joint communique.

Secretariat

The leaders also agreed on the need to set up a secretariat to oversee the implementation of the outcome of the meeting in Nairobi.

It was also agreed that the secretariat will be administered by the special envoy in the office of the president of the DRC, and the special envoy in the office of the president of Kenya with the participation of representatives from the executive offices of the other  heads in the East African Community.

Background

The development comes on the backdrop of the admission of the Democratic Republic of Congo into the East African Community as the seventh country.

However, the move for a joint military action against armed groups in the DRC is meant to ensure peace and stability in the entire East African region.

The volatile North Kivu province in DRC borders Uganda , Rwanda and other provinces including Ituri to the north and South Kivu to the South and has been a battle ground for a number of rival armed ethnic groups since 1998.

The province consists of three cities including; Goma, Butembo and Beni as well as six territories—Beni, Lubero, Masisi, Rutshuru.

Despite the UN sending a peacekeeping mission, MONUSCO in DRC, the problem of armed groups has not be solved.

The Allied Democratic Forces(ADF) has of recent proved to be one of the strongest armed groups in DRC bit has since extended tentacles to other countries like Uganda and Tanzania.

According to the Centre for Strategic and International Studies, the ADF which was designated as a terrorist group by the US government, has used the name Madina at Tauheed Wau Mujahedeen (City of Monotheism and Holy Warriors—MTM) to refer to emphasize its links to the Islamic State.

In 2019, the Islamic State claimed responsibility for an ADF attack and first referenced a “Central Africa Province.”

The group is also accused of masterminding the twin blasts in Kampala in November 2021.

This is a cause for worry for the East African heads of state and now that DRC officially joined the bloc, it is high time a joint effort to fight the armed came into play.

However, the development comes at a time when Uganda and DRC launched a joint military operation against the ADF rebels.

The operation named Shujaa, a Kiswahili word for bravery has since registered several successes since November 2021 when it was started.

M23

The move by East African leaders to issue warning to armed groups in the region also comes on the backdrop of the resumption of attacks by M23 rebels in Eastern DRC, following a 10 year lull,

The resurgence of attacks by M23 rebels has seen thousands of Congolese refugees flee to Uganda.

By issuing a warning of a joint military action against all the armed groups, the East African Community leaders aim at securing the region to ensure smooth trade as the region now boasts of a market of 266 million people..