BENI, DRC — Democratic Republic of the Congo President Félix Tshisekedi has donated 10 Toyota Land Cruiser pickup trucks to the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF), describing the move as recognition of Uganda’s role in a joint military campaign against the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) insurgent group in eastern Congo.
The vehicles were handed over in the eastern city of Beni by North Kivu Governor Maj. Gen. Somo Kakule Evariste on behalf of President Tshisekedi.
Congolese officials said the donation underscored growing security cooperation between Kinshasa and Kampala and would support the ongoing Operation Shujaa, a joint offensive conducted by the Congolese army (FARDC) and the UPDF.
Receiving the vehicles, Operation Shujaa commander Maj. Gen. Stephen Mugerwa thanked the Congolese president for the contribution and said the joint force remained committed to pursuing the ADF until the armed group is defeated.
Operation Shujaa was launched in November 2021 after a series of deadly bomb attacks in Uganda that authorities blamed on the ADF, an armed group with roots in Uganda that has since established bases in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The group has been linked to attacks on civilians in the region and is designated as a terrorist organisation by several countries.
Ugandan and Congolese authorities say the joint military operation has weakened the ADF’s operational capacity, enabled the rescue of abductees and improved security in parts of North Kivu and Ituri provinces, allowing some displaced residents to return home.
Officials also say the improved security situation has contributed to the reopening of schools, expanded cross-border trade and accelerated infrastructure projects, including key roads linking eastern Congo with Uganda.
According to the UPDF, cargo traffic between the two countries has more than doubled since the operation began.
The joint campaign has become a central pillar of security cooperation between Presidents Yoweri Museveni of Uganda and Félix Tshisekedi as both governments seek to curb persistent insurgent violence in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, where dozens of armed groups remain active despite years of military operations.
