East African bloc urges DR Congo president to respect regional force mandate

By James Tasamba

KIGALI, Rwanda (AA) – The East African Community (EAC) has urged the president of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo) to respect the mandate of the bloc's forces deployed in eastern parts of his country.

In a late Thursday NTV Uganda talk show, Secretary General EAC Peter Mathuki responded to President Felix Tshisekedi's Tuesday accusation that the East African force, comprised of Kenyan, Ugandan, Burundian, and South Sudanese armies, is not doing its job and is colluding with M23 rebels.

Tshisekedi warned during a visit to Botswana, a landlocked country in Southern Africa, that if the force did not complete its "offensive" mission by the end of its mandate in June, it would be asked to leave DR Congo.

Tshisekedi's criticism of the East African force came a day after the Southern African Development Community (SADC) announced the deployment of troops to DR Congo.

"To say that the regional force is doing nothing in such a short time is not fair," the EAC secretary general insisted, adding that the bloc's seven-member countries' decision at a summit in February should be respected.

At the Burundi Summit in February, EAC leaders directed the deployment of the joint regional force to DR Congo as part of efforts to restore peace in the volatile region.

According to Mathuki, the pace of stabilization in DR Congo may take longer than "we expected."

He also said he has not received an official communication regarding Tshisekedi's complaints, but indicated that any issues raised would be discussed by EAC heads of state.

The two sides have disagreed on the regional force's mandate.

While DR Congo sought an offensive mission, the EAC member countries maintained that the force was deployed for a peacekeeping mission.

The EAC bloc has urged the region and the international community to back the regional force's efforts to restore peace and stability in the vast country.

Since last year, fighting between the M23 rebel group and government forces in eastern DR Congo has displaced thousands of people.

The fighting has heightened tensions between Rwanda and the neighboring DR Congo government.

Kinshasa accuses Kigali of backing the rebel group, a charge Rwanda consistently denies.