The East African Community (EAC) has commenced preparations for the drawdown of military forces deployed in eastern Congo.

This came after the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) refused to renew the mandate of the East African Community Regional Force (EACRF) beyond December 8, 2023.

Regional leaders recently directed the Chiefs of Defence Forces (CDFs) of EAC to meet before December 8, 2023, and submit their recommendations on the way forward to the Defence Ministers for onward transmission to the Summit.

In a letter to partner states dated December 1, 2023, EAC Secretary General, Peter Mathuki, said the “Republic of Kenya has written to the Secretary General of her plans to commence drawdown of the KDF contingent of the EAC Regional Force.”

He added: “Accordingly, a meeting of the EAC Chiefs of Defence Forces/Staff is now scheduled for 6th December 2023 at the EAC Headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania. The Meeting will be preceded by the Defence Experts Working Group on the 5th December, 2023.”

Kenya’s Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) General Francis Ogolla on Saturday visited EACRF troops in eastern DRC where he called on the troops to “remain unified and vigilant as the EACRF mission enters a transition phase following the non-renewal of the EACRF mandate by the Host Nation beyond 8th Dec 2023, and the planned deployment of the South African Development Community (SADC) troops.”

DRC’s Prime Minister and Defence Minister, Jean Pierre Bemba recently told regional leaders at a summit in Arusha that President Felix Tshisekedi’s government would not have EACRF’s mandate renewed.

To the Congolese civil society, the regional force, which comprises troops from Uganda, South Sudan, Burundi and Kenya has been a disappointment.

Since the force’s deployment in November 2022, the war between M23 and the government forces has escalated with thousands of people being killed and the humanitarian situation has worsened.

Violent clashes between M23 rebels, who are reportedly backed by Rwanda and Congolese government forces have displaced more than 450,000 people in the past few months in Rutshuru and Masisi territories in North Kivu province.

People arriving in the town of Sake, located near the provincial capital Goma, spoke of having to make harrowing choices, with men risking death to feed starving children and women risking rape to collect firewood.

Tshisekedi, who is facing an election in December 2023, recently criticised the regional force for being inactive and refusing to counter the M23 rebels who pose a significant challenge to his hold on power.

The EACRF said it did not have the mandate of militarily confronting the M23 rebels.

The force said its main objectives were protecting civilians and facilitating the disarmament and cantonment of armed groups operating in Eastern Congo.

SADC 

Kinshasa had earlier this year moved to kick out the East African force only for regional leaders to request Tshisekedi to exercise restraint.

Realising that EACRF would not help him in defeating M23 rebels, Tshisekedi mobilised SADC which agreed to deploy military forces, warplanes and long-range artillery.

The SADC forces are expected to start arriving in DRC soon.

ChimpReports understands SADC has already stationed military equipment in eastern DRC in preparation for the offensive against the M23 rebels.

Tshisekedi recently ordered the deployment of 40,000 newly trained soldiers to confront the M23 rebels.

The United Nations force known by its French acronym, MONUSCO, is also expected to start withdrawing from the country in December 2023.