All military leaders from the East African Community (EAC) have convened in Nairobi, Kenya for an important meeting.
This meeting includes defense chiefs from Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), South Sudan, and Somalia, focusing on strategies to restore peace and security in the region.
A statement from the Uganda’s Deputy Defense spokesperson, Colonel Deo Akiiki, indicated that the meeting is intended to tackle the worsening crisis in the eastern DRC, where ongoing conflicts pose a threat to regional stability.
He revealed that Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, Chief of Defense Forces of the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF), is participating in this significant gathering, accompanied by Major General James Birungi, Chief of Defense Intelligence and Security, along with other senior officials from the UPDF.
In his address, Muhoozi emphasized the necessity of collaborative efforts to address regional challenges.
“Our collective focus on the security challenges in the Democratic Republic of the Congo exemplifies the cooperative spirit that binds the East African Community,” he said.
The chiefs’ meeting follows directives from the Joint EAC-SADC Heads of State Summit held on February 8, 2025, in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
During the summit, regional leaders tasked the Chiefs of Defense Forces with providing technical guidance on resolving the crisis in eastern DRC, where the M23 rebel group has seized control of key cities, including Goma and Bukavu.
Eastern DRC has long been a hotspot for conflict, with multiple armed groups, including the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), exacerbating the instability.
The ADF, a terrorist organization with origins in Uganda, has been a persistent threat despite joint efforts by the UPDF and the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC) to neutralize it. According to the UPDF, the ADF’s capabilities have now been significantly degraded, with only scattered remnants operating in the dense forests of the DRC.
In a related development, the UPDF recently achieved a strategic milestone by entering Bunia, the capital of Ituri Province, in a coordinated operation with the FARDC. The move was met with widespread approval from local residents, who have endured years of violence and instability.
