Kenyan troops on spot for "cohabiting" with M23 rebels in DR Congo

Scouting. Kenyan troops in DR Congo prepare for patrol.

NAIROBI, Kenya - The East Africa Community Regional Force [EACRF] could have its services terminated in DR Congo, President Felix Tshisekedi has hinted, over what he terms as "cohabitation" with M23 rebels who are fighting to topple his government for the last several months.

At Gaborone in Botswana, Tshisekedi, who seemed displeased with the EACRF, rallied for the deployment of more soldiers from the South Africa Development Community [SADC], while noting that the East Africa Community force could be on the way out of the troubled Central Africa state.

“There is cohabitation that we have noticed between the contingent of East African Community and the rebels,” Tshisekedi said at a news conference.

“That is a genuine problem when it comes to the mission assigned and also compels me to ask, what is the purpose of the mission?” he said, claiming that except for the Burundi troops, others “are now living together with M23”.

The Kenya Defense Forces [KDF] makes up the majority of the EACRF with the team also led by a Kenyan Force Commander. Maj. General Jeff Nyagah quit the FC in late April citing "threats to my life and sabotage" in a letter that KDF later on dismissed, even though the General has left the mission.

In a statement, KDF insisted Nyagah had left the mission following deployment as Western Command commander after changes which were effected by President William Ruto. However, he was replaced by Major General Alphaxard Muthuri, who is now head of the mission in DR Congo.

Tshisekedi said the EAC force’s mandate ends in June, “and if we feel that the mandate was not fulfilled will return them and thank them for having tried”. “We have the confirmation of the coming of SADC troops which we will have to put in place,” he added.

There are several armed groups in Eastern Congo along Kivu and Beni Belt which Kinshasa blames on Rwanda and Uganda. As a result, EAC decided to deploy mission troops to stabilize the country, with Kenyan troops being the first to be deployed, followed by Uganda, South Sudan, and Burundi.

DRC President Felix Tshisekedi’s office said on Monday evening the SADC will assess working areas and the actual decisions will be reached after a meeting of SADC, EAC, representatives of the Great Lakes Region as well as members of the association of Central African states.

“SADC has launched processes for the convening of a Tripartite Summit of the East African Community [EAC], the International Conference for the Great Lakes Region [ICGLR] and SADC plus the Economic Community of Central African States [ECCAS], with the participation of the African Union and the United Nations in order to consider a coordinated approach in support of the DRC,” the Congolese presidency said.

Kinshasa has been questioning the suitability of KDF to lead the mission without giving tangible evidence of alleged collaboration with M23. The government of Kenya recently insisted that it is committed to the stabilization of DR Congo, which joined EAC recently.

GAROWE ONLINE