Uganda’s Chief of Defence Forces (CDF), General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, has arrived in Nairobi to attend a high-level meeting of East African Community (EAC) military chiefs, aimed at addressing the escalating security crisis in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Gen Kainerugaba is accompanied by Major General James Birungi, Chief of Defence Intelligence and Security, alongside other senior Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) officials.
The meeting has drawn top defense officials from Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, the DRC, South Sudan, and Somalia to deliberate on strategies for stabilizing the volatile region.
Speaking during the session, Gen Kainerugaba emphasized the need for a collective and coordinated response to security threats in the region.
“Our collective focus on the security challenges in the Democratic Republic of the Congo exemplifies the cooperative spirit that binds the East African Community,” he stated.
The meeting follows directives from the Joint EAC-SADC Heads of State Summit held on February 8, 2025, in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
At the summit, regional leaders tasked defense chiefs with providing technical guidance on resolving the crisis in eastern DRC, where the M23 rebel group has seized key cities, including Goma and Bukavu.
The eastern DRC has long grappled with conflict fueled by multiple armed groups, including the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a group with Ugandan origins that has been responsible for violent attacks.
Joint military efforts by the UPDF and the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC) have significantly degraded ADF’s operational capacity, leaving its remnants scattered in the dense forests.
In a recent milestone, the UPDF, in coordination with FARDC, entered Bunia, the capital of Ituri Province, in a strategic operation aimed at neutralizing armed insurgencies.
The move has been welcomed by local communities that have suffered from persistent violence.
The Nairobi meeting underscores the commitment of regional military leaders to forging a unified approach against armed groups, restoring stability, and paving the way for lasting peace in the DRC.
As discussions continue, the focus remains on coordinated military strategies and diplomatic engagements to address the deep-rooted security challenges in the region.