DRC President Felix Tshisekedi Says Ugandan Army’s Stay Will Be Strictly Limited

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) President Felix Tshisekedi has vowed to restrict the Ugandan army’s presence and operations in the country’s territory reported Africa News.

The DRC and Uganda had launched a joint military operation against the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) rebel group earlier this month but have given few details about its scope or expected duration.

Established in eastern DRC in 1995, the ADF is accused of massacres in DR Congo and bombings in Uganda. Last week, some suspected ADF fighters killed at least 16 people in the eastern part of the country. The armed rebel group is seeking control over territory and mineral resources in the country.

In his annual state of the nation address, the DRC president said that the stay of the army will be bound by the necessity of their operations.

“I will ensure that the presence of Ugandan troops on our soil is limited to the time strictly necessary for this operation,” Tshisekedi said.

 The DRC president had put the eastern provinces of North Kivu and Ituri under a state of siege in May, when soldiers replaced civil servants in key positions.

Tshisekedi said no effort will be spared to restore peace and security in the country.

He noted that the ADF group is also active in Uganda and the joint border area and said the state of siege had “moved the lines” and seen former enemy bastions recaptured.

The ADF was established as a Ugandan rebel coalition whose biggest group comprised of people who were opposed to President Yoweri Museveni.

Tshisekedi’s state of the union speech also covered the COVID-19 pandemic and the country’s economic affairs. He said preparations to ensure timely, transparent elections in 2023 were underway. He appealed to the people of the country to get themselves vaccinated against COVID-19.

Notably, DRC has the lowest coronavirus vaccination rate in the world, with roughly 0.1 percent of its 90 million population inoculated.