The newly appointed East African Community Regional Force-EACRF Commander, Kenyan Maj. Gen. Aphaxard Muthuri Kiugu assumed office in Goma. He takes charge of the peacekeeping force replacing his countryman Maj. Gen. Jeff Nyangah who resigned following threats to his life mounted by Kinshasa regime.
Gen. Kiugu, who will be commanding military operations of the regional force ought to exercise utmost caution to avoid falling into deadly traps set by Tshisekedi and his cronies whom intended, from the get go, to violate the force’s mandate by turning it into another regime militia to fight its war with the M23 Movement.
Gen Kiugu’s task is to consolidate the gains registered by the EACRF for the past six months it has been in Congo and enforce measures to ensure the force’s mission is fully achieved. In spite of prevailing threats by Tshisekedi to expel the force; the Commander shouldn’t allow peace saboteurs to compromise the EACRF’s operations including protection of civilians and providing humanitarian support to people living under the protectorate of the regional troops.
The outgoing commander, Gen Nyagah did a commendable job by refusing to use his troops to persecute innocent Congolese-Tutsi whom the force is mandate to protect. The incoming EACRF boss should borrow a leaf from his predecessor and act within the force’s mandate.
“I am coming to pick from where Maj Gen Jeff Nyagah left and according to my assessment, you have done well. However, there are certainly lessons that we can learn from past experience,that can enable us to improve towards achievement of the desired end state.” Gen Kiugu remarked.
It’s important to highlight that the new Force Commander is committed to fully realization of Luanda, Nairobi peace agreement, a call that the M23 Movement has heeded despite distractions by Tshisekedi regime’ forces and allied armed groups. It’s equally incumbent upon concerned regional and international stakeholders to push Tshisekedi to honor his part by holding dialogue with M23, thus settling their differences.
The new EACRF Commander takes responsibility against the backdrop of blackmails and threats to kick the regional forces out of DRC on alleged “failure to achieve its mission”; but we all know what Tshisekedi means by failure, it’s just because Gen Nyagah looked him right in the eye and said no to his proposal of turning the EACRF into some sort of a militia that Kinshasa would use the way it desires. Sticking to its mandate has irked Tshisekedi and is now working round the clock to malign the force and have it replaced by Southern African Development Community-SADC troops whom he believes will fight his wars.
It’s imperative for the new force commander to ensure its operations aren’t compromised and act as per set rules of engagement and force’s mission which will enable affected Congolese to realize peace and stability.