President Yoweri Museveni yesterday held a ‘high-level’ meeting with top government and security officials over the continuing violence in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

This was a day after he halted Operation Shujaa until further notice. Foreign affairs state minister Okello Oryem confirmed that the Government had met, but that the defense and veteran affairs minister, Vincent Ssempija, and the Chief of Defence Forces, Gen. Wilson Mbasu Mbadi, would be the ones to communicate on DR Congo-related matters. The meeting took place at State House Entebbe.

“It has been decided by Government that the Chief of Defence Forces and the defense minister will communicate on the issues related to DR Congo,” Oryem said.

Congo

Ssempijja said the Government of Uganda, supported the deployment of a standby force in DR Congo to try and quell the violence.

On Wednesday, Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta who is also the chairman of the East African Community (EAC), called for the deployment of the East African Standby Force (EASF) following weeks of fighting between the Congolese army and M23 rebels.
Responding to Kenyatta’s call yesterday, Ssempijja said the EAC heads of state had agreed on the idea of the standby force.

“The EAC heads of state agreed on the idea of the standby force and Uganda supports it and will be part of it,” the defense minister said.

Kenyatta also called for “an immediate cessation of all hostilities in the eastern DR Congo and for all armed groups, both foreign and local, to lay down arms immediately and unconditionally and commit to a political process.”

Ssempijja

Kenyatta’s statement comes in the wake of the takeover of Bunagana town by the M23 rebel group on Tuesday.

The town is at the border of DRC and Uganda. It also comes in the wake of a demonstration by Congolese civilians on Wednesday.

“I call for the activation of the East African Regional Force under the auspices of the EAC,” Kenyatta said in a statement.

He said the East African regional forces should be deployed in Ituri, North Kivu, and South Kivu provinces of eastern DR Congo, immediately.

DR Congo was this year officially admitted into the EAC, a regional bloc of Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, and South Sudan.

The deployment is part of the Nairobi Conclave accord, which was set up in April this year by EAC member states to end violence in eastern DR Congo.

Under the Nairobi Conclave, EAC leaders agreed to create a joint force to crack down on armed rebel groups operating in eastern DR Congo that refuse to surrender, unconditionally disarm and participate in dialogue processes.

Burundi President Evariste Ndayishimiye also supported the idea of deploying a standby force.

“I warmly welcome His Excellency Kenyatta’s statement on the security situation in the eastern DR Congo which aims to restore peace, security, and stability for the well-being of all the population of the region,” he said.

According to the Nairobi Conclave, the deployment of a regional force to restore peace and stability in eastern DR Congo is one of the key solutions to the Congo crisis.
Operations put on hold

Defense minister Vincent Ssempijja confirmed that President Yoweri Museveni has paused Operation Shujaa in eastern DR Congo until further notice.

Yesterday, the Commander of Land Forces, Lt. Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, said he had been instructed by the President to hold all positions, meaning there will be no troop movements in the area.

“President Museveni has instructed me and all UPDF forces to hold all our positions in the DRC! We shall do exactly that! No movement of any troops throughout Operation Shujaa until further notice! Furthermore, we await the final declaration by Chairman Uhuru,” Muhoozi tweeted.

Eastern DR Congo is a haven for over 100 armed rebel groups, including the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), Red Tabara, Mayi-Mayi, M23, the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda, CODECO, and FOREBU.

In December 2021, Uganda deployed troops in eastern DR Congo at the invitation of its government, mainly to pacify the area and root out the insecurity being orchestrated by various armed groups, especially the ADF.

Under the arrangement, the UPDF and the Congolese army jointly deploy troops and share intelligence on a wide range of attacks against ADF’s bases.