Retired president Uhuru Kenyatta Monday praised the progress of the Nairobi Process on the Restoration of Peace and Stability in eastern DRC.
Uhuru, who is the Facilitator of the EAC-Led Process, said they had recorded “steady and important progress” following the three Conclaves of eastern Africa Heads of State and the three Nairobi conferences he convened in 2022.
“South Kivu has enjoyed relatively increased peace and reduction of hostilities since the peace process started while North Kivu has also seen a decline in violence but remains volatile,” Kenyatta said.
He said progress in delivering humanitarian assistance to affected populations and further deployments to secure key areas and towns.
He announced that planning for the next stage of the political process, the Nairobi IV multi-venue conference is complete.
It is set to take place in the eastern DRC but anchored in Kinshasa through a national consultation which will initiate the multiple-town conferencing process.
“The military truck has continued to progress and undergird the political process, as envisioned by the Nairobi agreements. In this regard, the military track of operations towards peace and stability in eastern DRC remains on course as envisaged by the East African Community Regional Force (EACRF) Mandate with a ceasefire still holding between FARDC, M23, and other active armed groups for the last three weeks,” he said.
He said the EACRF has now fully deployed, with the last phase of deployment being the South Sudan People Defense Force over the weekend, where at least 45 South Sudanese soldiers arrived in Goma late Sunday, April 2 morning.
Further contingents are expected to arrive at later dates as part of the EAC military force created last June to stabilize the troubled Central African country.
“The major armed group M23 has withdrawn from the following locations in North Kivu on the Western front Sake-Mshaki-Neenero and Kiloriwe. Kitchanga is scheduled to be vacated by Tuesday this week,” Uhuru added.
Further, the main supply route allowing free movement of goods and people and delivery of humanitarian assistance will also be secured, he said.
Uhuru initiated the process while in office, alongside President Felix Tshisekedi.
The process is also supported by the Heads of State of all East Africa Community countries.
Although March 30 was supposed to mark the end of the withdrawal of all armed groups according to a timetable adopted in mid-February by the EAC, the deadline was not met.
Local media on Friday quoted the EAC force commander, Kenyan General Jeff Nyagah, as saying that the planned M23 withdrawal would be “sequenced”.
M23 remains in control of substantial areas of North Kivu and has almost completely surrounded Goma, with Rwanda to its east and Lake Kivu to its south.
The DRC accuses Rwanda of backing the rebels, something the United States, several other Western countries, and independent UN experts agree with.
Rwanda denies the allegations.
And whereas there have been no major fighting between the Congolese forces and the M23 revels for several weeks, fighting with rival militias and insecurity remains rampant.
Residents, local officials, and medical sources say 14 people were killed in separate attacks in North Kivu this past weekend under unclear circumstances.
