On Monday, the seven Presidents of all the East African Community member states met in Nairobi, Kenya in an attempt to resolve the current security situation in the eastern Dr Congo.
The Summit was attended by Presidents Yoweri Museveni of Uganda, HE Paul Kagame of Rwanda, HE Salva KIIR Mayardit of South Sudan, and HE Felix Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo of DRC.
Others were Presidents, HE Evariste Ndayishimiye of Burudni, and the President of Tanzania was represented by Ambassador Dr John Steven Simbachawene, the High Commissioner of Tanzania to Kenya.
During the Monday third conclave, the leaders ordered for immediate ceasefire and the urgent withdrawal of M23 rebels from the territory they hold.
The leaders resolved to have regional force to be constituted as an East African Community force under the EAC Protocol on Peace and Security and the EAC Treaty Article 124 on regional peace and security and Article 125 on cooperation in defense.
The leaders further condemned series of attacks on communities, army chiefs presented status of forces doctrines and rules of engagement.
In their last resolution, the EAC leaders recommended that peace mediation must continue until the conflict is resolved.
President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni during the same meeting insisted that all the seven EAC member states must work together because these people have suffered a lot.
“The problems affecting the region like the crisis in Congo need a collective approach from all regional members of the East African Community,” President Museveni recommended.
In his earlier submission, President Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya also the chairman of EAC, noted that all member states must co-exist peacefully and embrace good neighbourliness.
According to President Uhuru, the situation of peace and security particularly in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo is preponderant.
“The people have long suffered and continue to pay an inordinately heavy price in loss of lives, property and elusive,” He said.
Last week, President Uhuru used his power as the EAC chairman to activate the deployment of a regional force to fight the M23 rebel group in the east of the country.
DRC authority on Sunday announced it had welcomed the decision but excluded neighboring Rwanda’s participation.
On Sunday, military chiefs from seven East African countries met in Nairobi, to discuss the rising tensions between the two neighbors.
On Friday, DRC closed its border with Rwanda after a Congolese soldier was shot dead while attacking border guards inside Rwandan territory.
Two Rwandan police officers were injured when the Congolese soldier crossed the border and opened fire, before an officer on duty fired back and killed him 25 metres inside Rwanda, the Rwandan military said in a statement.
