Kenyan President William Ruto has appointed Maj. Gen. Alphaxard Muthuri Kiugu as the new commander of the East African Community Regional Force (EACRF) in DR Congo.

Kiugu replaces Maj. Gen. Jeff Nyagah, who resigned on April 27, citing “consistent harassment” and threats to his safety.

The EACRF was constituted last year to pacify North Kivu in eastern Congo.

In his April 27 resignation letter to Dr. Peter Mathuki, the East African Community secretary general, Nyagah said: “Honourable Secretary General, as you are aware, there was an attempt to intimidate my security at my former residence by deploying foreign military contractors (mercenaries) who place monitoring devices, flew drones and conducted physical surveillance of my residence in early January 2023, forcing me to relocate.”

“There has also been a well-orchestrated and financed negative media campaign targeted at my personality. Further, the ongoing frustration has rendered my mission untenable, hence the precautionary decision to exit the mission area,” he added.

In November last year, Nyagah was appointed as the EACRF commander following Kenya’s deployment of troops in Goma to protect key installations, such as Goma International Airport, from a possible takeover by M23 rebels.

In March this year, Uganda also deployed troops in North Kivu, with President Yoweri Museveni, who is also the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, noting that the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) have been deployed not to battle M23 rebels, but to ensure that a cessation of hostilities is observed.

Burundi and South Sudan also deployed troops in eastern Congo under the regional force arrangement.

Angola, which is not part of the EAC regional bloc of Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan and DR Congo, also last month deployed troops in North Kivu, eastern Congo.

The mandate of EACRF is to protect Congolese civilians and their property in areas where M23 rebels were to withdraw from as directed by East African Community leaders during the February mini-summit in Ethiopia on the sidelines of the African Union summit.

On Friday, Ruto appointed Nyagah as the new general officer for the Kenyan Western Command.