"Help us bring peace to Congo," DRC youth ask Museveni

Youth from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have called upon President Museveni to help champion peace in the eastern region of the Congo.

The young Congolese voices were represented by Iris Nzolantima, a coordinator of the Presidential Program of Youth Mentoring (La Table des Décisions) and the DRC African Union Youth Charter Hustler.

Speaking at the just concluded third African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) youth symposium at Speke Resort Munyonyo, Nzolantima asked President Museveni to do more in bringing peace to Congo.

"I admired President Museveni's address when he opened the APRM Youth Symposium. He said ‘Youth should play a role in the stability and security of Africa.’ As Congolese youth, we are concerned about the security situation in Eastern Congo which is our country," she stated.

"The threat by M23 militia has caused a genocide of over 12 million people including women and children. We want President Museveni to intervene," Nzolantima said.

This website understands that a roadmap discussion was held earlier this week between President Felix Tshisekedi and President Paul Kagame, through the mediation of the Angolan President João Lourenço, as recommended by the African Union Chair.

Fresh clashes however broke out on Thursday between the Democratic Republic of Congo’s army and the M23 rebel group, one day after the two presidents had met.

The ongoing advocacy led by Congolese youth is now aimed at creating awareness and urging stakeholders to stand with Tshisekedi in his efforts to bring about peace and security in the North and South Kivu and Ituri provinces.

The youth say that they want to see an end to mineral theft, and to all armed conflicts led by foreign armed groups and rebel proxies causing death and suffering of over 12 million Congolese in the Eastern Congo.

"The peace in DR Congo is the one of the Great Lakes region. Everyone needs to know that rebels are killing millions of people in my country, the Democratic Republic of the Congo,” Nzolantima said.

In his closing remarks, Daniel Obal, the presidential aide in charge of Youth Affairs agreed with Nzolantima’s plea and said that the African youth call for peace in the Eastern Congo.

The symposium was held under the theme: “Repositioning the Youth Agenda for a Transformative continent."