President Museveni has said Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) will fight any player in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) who refuses to implement the peace agreement the heads of the East African Community (EAC) greenlit.
The President’s statement came after he sent UPDF soldiers under the East African Regional Force to the Eastern DRC in the M23 rebels’ bastions at Bunagana border and the Rutshuru territory in North Kivu.
The UPDF started deploying their 5,000-strong troops in areas occupied by the rebels on Wednesday.
The deployment comes a fortnight after Angola fielded 500 troops in the same area. Uganda’s troops will play an observatory role, but President Museveni revealed this past week that with the blessing of the EAC heads of State, Uganda would crack the whip “if one of the stakeholders refuses to implement the peace agreement we have agreed on.”
Closed-door meeting
On Thursday, after holding a closed-door meeting with commanders and leaders in the standoff, the UPDF top brass—including (the Chief of Defence Forces) and Lt Gen Kayanja Muhanga (the commander of the Lands Forces)—was at pains to stress that Uganda’s sole objective is a peace mission.
“The UPDF peace contingent in the DRC shall remain there until peace and stability is attained,” Gen Mbadi said, adding, “The situation in the DRC shall determine how long the UPDF soldiers on peace mission will remain there. If the situation stabilises, the UPDF soldiers will immediately withdraw. We have no time frame or time limits.”
The closed-door meeting was attended by Gen Jeff Nyagah, the East African Community Forces (EACF) commander in the DRC; Brig Emmanuel Kaputa, the representative of the Congolese government forces or the FARDC; the M23 rebel leaders; and UPDF commanders.
Gen Nyagah said they have agreed with M23 rebels to have the main route from Bunagana to Goma opened to allow cross-border trade.
The Bunagana-Rutshuru area is a main artery that links Uganda to Goma City, one of the biggest in the eastern DRC.
Warm reception
The M23 rebels on Thursday released photographs and videos of their members led by spokesperson Maj Willy Ngoma warmly welcoming UPDF soldiers at Bunagana border.
In a statement last week, President Museveni was quick to note that the UPDF’s presence in the Bunagana-Rutshuru area is not intended “to fight the M23, but act as a neutral force as the Congolese use the time to sort out their political problems.”
“Unless we are attacked, we aren’t there to fight,” President Museveni stressed. Gen Nyagah revealed on Thursday that the UPDF contingent will occupy Bunagana and Kiwanja before moving to the Mabenga areas in Rutshuru territory.
“We need to observe patience as M23 rebels withdraw from these locations because they also have troops which need to be moved from one location to another without causing panic among locals,” he said.
“DR Congo refugees should return home because the EACF will ensure their safety as they will not allow any armed groups to tamper with security of the local populations,” Gen Nyagah said.
“We are ready to cooperate with the EACF deployed in this area. The Congolese government should also listen to our issues, especially being recognised as Congolese nationals because it’s the only long-lasting solution to the conflict,” Maj Ngoma said.
Meanwhile, President Museveni revealed that the DRC government and the M23 rebels were in talks. The talks, he added, “have been going on and should continue so that the problem is handled politically.”
While Maj Ngoma reiterated the M23 rebels’ demand to be recognised as Congolese nationals, Kinshasa has designated them a rebel group while refusing to give them an audience. Publicly, the Congolese leaders have insisted that they wouldn’t talk to M23 rebels until they retreat to areas where they are supposed to be cantoned.
Historical background
In 2021, the M23 rebels resumed fighting after a nearly decade-long lull and captured Bunagana. They have since continued to seize more territory, leaving them just a few kilometres away from Goma.
Their relentless march compelled the heads of State of the EAC to form a regional force in April 2022 with the sole purpose of being deployed in the eastern DRC on a peace mission. Burundi, Angola, Kenya have already deployed troops in the tinderbox.
The DRC government accuses Rwanda of backing the M23 rebels. Many of the DRC officials claim that Uganda is also supporting the same group, allegations that both Kampala and Kigali deny.
The regional agreements of Luanda, Angola, and Nairobi, Kenya, like other agreements before about peace in eastern DRC, have severally been interpreted differently by different parties or stakeholders. This has led to continuation of armed violence.
Two wars played out in DRC during the late 1990s, sucking in several neighbouring countries. Rwanda and Uganda, backing the Congolese rebels, fought a coalition of troops from Chad, Zimbabwe, Angola, Namibia and the DRC government.
Uganda and Rwanda were forced to remove their troops from DRC.
While sending troops in the eastern DRC, the Angola presidency said their military would keep the M23 rebels to places they were directed to withdraw to under the Luanda mini-summit.
“The said unit has as its primary objective to secure the cantonment areas of the M23 elements and protect members of the Ad Hoc Verification Mechanism,” a statement by the Angolan presidency reads in part.
