Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta on Wednesday called for the urgent deployment of a regional force to help quell the violence and restore security in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), reported The Eye Witness News.
“I call for the activation of the East African Regional Force under the auspices of the East African Community (EAC),” Kenyatta said in a statement.
The Kenyan president added that the open hostilities threatened to derail an ongoing political process to address the security situation in the DRC.
The decision to deploy a regional force was taken in April when Kenyatta hosted the leaders of Uganda, Burundi, Rwanda, and the DRC in Nairobi to discuss the crisis.
He said the regional commanders of the seven-nation East African Community (EAC) bloc will meet on Sunday to discuss and finalize preparations for the deployment of the joint force.
“The East African Regional Force shall be deployed to the Ituri, North Kivu, and South Kivu provinces immediately to stabilize the zone and enforce peace,” the Kenyan president said.
A UN force, known as MONUSCO, is already operating in the DRC.
Kenyatta said the regional force will work with local forces and MONUSCO to disarm militants bearing illegal firearms. He called for a complete cessation of hostilities and for declaring the three provinces as a “weapons-free zone” where anyone outside mandated forces would be disarmed.
Notably, tensions between Rwanda and the DRC have surged following a comeback by the M23rebel group, which this week claimed control of the key border town of Bunagana, forcing thousands to flee their homes.
The DRC accuses the Rwandan government of supporting the M23 rebels. But, Rwanda continues to deny the allegation of involvement.
Last week, the United Nations also urged all parties in the recent troubles between Kinshasa and Kigali to immediately cease all forms of violence.
