Uhuru Kenyatta in DR Congo for peace talk as war ranges

NAIROBI, Kenya - Kenya’s former President Uhuru Kenyatta arrived in the city of Goma, the capital of North Kivu Province, after two days of working for dialogue and peace in Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

The EAC Facilitator pointed out that the misery, the cycle of conflict by armed groups, had been inflicted on innocent men, women, children, and the old.

According to a communique from Kenya’s consulate in Goma-DRC the former President held a Roundtable with representatives of the FARDC, MONUSCO, and the East African Community Regional Force and observed the adverse effect of the violence of M23 rebels and other armed groups amounted to grave human rights violations and has led to the displacements of millions in Eastern DRC.

He emphasized that the situation requires urgent intervention by the international community, AUPSC, and UNSC.

The EAC- Facilitator called on the international community, and humanitarian organizations such as Unicef, WFP, IOM, and UN OCHA, to urgently and impactfully respond to assuage the terrible distress and human suffering.

In another separate conversation, Kenyatta expressed concern that his work has been severely hampered by the unfolding dreadful humanitarian crisis in and around Goma, and it is virtually impossible for him and his team to fully realize the potential of his role when the fighting and the wholesale displacement of towns and villages is ongoing.

He further observed that the terms of the Nairobi Conclaves, which had been agreed upon by all East Africa Community Heads of State outlined that the fighting forces would remain in the positions that they were in at the time of the Nairobi Conclaves, have not been honored by the rebel groups and their backers.

“It is important to note, observed the facilitator, that the humanitarian crisis that is now unfolding as a result of non-adherence to recommendations agreed upon in Nairobi during the Heads of State Conclaves. ”Kenyatta laments.

He further added that “It is critical that this situation is resolved to allow for the Facilitator to fully engage the EACRF to take their rightful positions and allow for the humanitarian situation to be resolved with utmost urgency.”

The EAC facilitator also stressed that this is likely to undermine the military track that was predicated on everyone retaining their positions to allow for the East African Regional Force to interposition itself.

GAROWE ONLINE