President William Ruto welcomed a special envoy from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) at Statehouse Nairobi. President William Ruto received his DRC counterpart Felix Tshesekidi’s delegation at Statehouse Nairobi. Photo: William Ruto. Source: Twitter The delegation was led by Lambert Mende, a member of parliament and former deputy prime minister. Also present were other prominent figures including Tshisekedi’s high representative Sambu Mambu, Public Works Minister Alexis Gisaro, and Trade Minister Julien Paluku. What did Ruto discuss with the DRC delegation? The meeting aimed to discuss the complexities of the escalating conflict in Eastern DRC.
The dialogue between the Kenyan and Congolese officials was a direct follow-up to the joint summit of the East African Community (EAC) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) held in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, as well as discussions at the African Union Peace and Security Council in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. “We discussed the options on the way forward as agreed during the Joint Summit of EAC-SADC in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, and the African Union Peace and Security Council meeting in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia,” Ruto said in a post. Ruto chairs extraordinary meeting on the DRC situation On Wednesday, January 29, an extraordinary summit was called to address the escalating crisis in the eastern DRC. Ruto chaired the virtual meeting while in Egypt for a state visit, in his capacity as the EAC chair.
The meeting was attended by six other leaders from the EAC region, including Samia Suluhu (Tanzania), Yoweri Kaguta Museveni (Uganda), Hassan Sheikh Mohamoud (Somalia), Paul Kagame (Rwanda), Salva Kiir Mayardit (South Sudan), and Evariste Ndayishimiye (Burundi). Notably absent was DRC President Felix Tshisekedi. According to a communique released by the EAC Secretariat, the meeting focused on seeking a peaceful resolution to the conflict in eastern DRC. The summit urged the warring parties to cease hostilities and agree to an immediate ceasefire. READ ALSO Police present MP George Koimburi in court, charge him with forging academic papers Concerns were raised about the worsening security situation in eastern DRC, which has led to loss of several lives, humanitarian crises, and widespread suffering, particularly among women and children. The leaders also emphasized the need to ensure humanitarian aid reaches affected populations.
The DRC authorities were encouraged to engage all relevant stakeholders, including the M23 rebels and other armed groups with grievances, to facilitate dialogue and end the conflict. In response to attacks on diplomatic missions, embassies, and personnel in Kinshasa, the DRC government was urged to guarantee the safety and security of diplomatic properties and staff. President Ruto hosted an envoy from DRC for talks on escalating crisis in the country. Photo: William Ruto Source: Facebook Is Tshisekedi snobbing Ruto? Tshisekedi skipped the EAC virtual summit called by Ruto to address the DRC crisis, citing scheduling conflicts, though he attended a separate SADC meeting. Again, Tshisekedi notably snubbed a joint East African Community (EAC) and Southern African Development Community (SADC) summit in Dar es Salaam, chaired by Ruto, opting to send Prime Minister Judith Suminwa instead. These instances have fueled speculation online of Tshisekedi’s alleged distrust toward Ruto and the EAC.
by Harry Ivan Mboto
