President Yoweri Museveni has attributed increasing insecurity in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) on easy access to illegal guns in the country.
The President was speaking at the East African Community (EAC) third virtual Inter-Congolese dialogue of the Nairobi Peace Process in Nairobi, Kenya.
The Inter-Congolese dialogue running up to December 3rd, 2022, will include consultations with armed groups in Eastern DRC, local community leaders, civil society, and other key stakeholders in order to identify long-term solutions to the security crisis.
The dialogue attracted many leaders from the region such as President Paul Kagame of Rwanda, Evariste Ndahishimiye of Burundi, and Félix Antoine Tshisekedi of DRC who attended virtually and Kenya’s president, William Ruto.
Gen Museveni said illegal guns possessed by foreign and local armed groups like ADF and M23 among others are hindering lasting peace in the eastern part of DRC and the entire region.
“The main problem is the illegal guns in Congo. These illegal guns have been there almost continuously since Congo’s independence, the guns currently being held by foreign armed groups like the Allied Democratic Forces-ADF from Uganda, the Entarahamwe of Rwanda, and other groups from Burundi and Angola plus the internal Congolese groups such as the Kodeko, M23, Maimai, and others have all these years been killing Congolese and disturbing neighbors,” Museveni said
Museveni said the militia groups can be defeated in the (Eastern DRC) by devising dialogue first or collectively destroying them.
“These armed groups causing insecurity can be defeated if we harmonize efforts. If any Congolese group doesn’t respect the formula reached after the dialogues, the combined resources of East Africa will be brought down on them. No force can defy the combined efforts of east Africa,” he said.
He added that on going efforts in part of the region are proof that peace can be restored in the region.
“These efforts in North Kivu and Ituri, have shown that we have the capacity to deal with these groups in spite of the difficult terrain, the forests, and so on. If the Congolese government agrees, they can invite visitors and visit where we are operating and see what can be achieved,” he added.
President Félix Tshisekedi of DRC who also addressed the dialogue virtually, said he will offer all the support to EAC member states to end the insecurity.
“The time to change the narrative of DRC having protracted insecurity is now! We are committed to the EAC- Led Nairobi Process and long for peace, so we can rebuild the great Democratic Republic of Congo,” the DRC President said.
President Evariste Ndahishimiye of Burundi, who is also the current Chairperson of the East African Community, concurred with Museveni’s call to join efforts to bring long-lasting peace to the region.
“We are cognizant of the high expectations the region & international community has in this process. I am appealing to all Partners to commit to supporting initiatives aimed at promoting peace and consolidating stability in the region,” he said.
The dialogue was also graced by The Special Envoy of the UN Secretary-General to the Great Lakes region, H.E Huang Xia.
Fresh fighting broke out in North Kivu province earlier this month when the M23 rebels clashed with DR Congo troops.
Kenyan troops have already deployed in the region as part of a regional force to combat the rebels.
The Kenyan troops are on the peace mission together with their EACRF counterparts from Burundi, Rwanda, South Sudan, Uganda, and Tanzania.
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