Metro

Eastern DR Congo residents reject East African regional force

Published

3 years ago

June 22, 2022

Some residents in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo where the M23 rebels groups have been holding sway for over six months have rejected the deployment of a regional peacekeeping force by the Eastern African regional body.

On Monday, the East African Community (EAC) leaders in a meeting in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, had endorsed the deployment of a regional force to help stabilise eastern DRC, in a move that had also earlier been discussed by military chiefs in the regional bloc.

But opponents of the troop deployment have also pointed to the chequered history that some of DR Congo’s neighbours have had in the war-torn east of the country, and rather called for reforms and reinforcements in the Congolese armed forces.

In a letter to President Felix Tshisekedi by a group known as a citizen movement called Lucha (Fight for Change), the group said the country should reject the regional force citing security, economic or geopolitical reasons for the objections.

Lucha which was founded in 2012 in Goma, the capital of the troubled eastern DRC’s North Kivu province, which borders Uganda and Rwanda, is one of the strongest voices in the country.

“We vigorously reject the EAC project and call on you to give it up because of the security, economic and geopolitical integrity of the DRC,” the movement said.

“At least three of the seven member states of the East African Community — Rwanda, Uganda and Burundi — have been involved for more than two decades in the destabilisation of our country, through interventions directly from their armies or through armed groups,” the letter added.

According to the group, all the three countries which are DR Congo’s eastern neighbours, were involved in the two civil wars that wracked the vast mineral-rich country between 1996 and 2003.

Kinshasa has also made it already made it clear it opposes Rwanda’s participation in any regional force, accusing it of backing the resurgent M23 rebels. Kigali denies the charge.

But even without Rwandan involvement, some residents in Goma are not convinced by the idea of such a regional force.

For many in the region, it was not clear how any new regional force could succeed where the United Nations peacekeeping forces, the MONUSCO, had failed.

Raphael Wekenge, the coordinator of the Congolese Coalition for Transitional Justice (CCJT) who also rejected the deployment, said:

“I am sceptical about the operational side of a force made up of countries that have interests in our own,” he said.

Paulin Mulume, from the Amka Congo collective of citizens’ movements, also kicked against the EAC forces

“We have already had several joint operations in the east of the country, which have not borne fruit.

“We don’t know what prompted our president to get involved in this affair. It should have gone through parliament. I doubt the effectiveness of this force,” Mulume added.

DRC’s Nobel laureate, Denis Mukwege, also voiced out against a “regional force including countries at the root of destabilization, atrocities and the plunder of our resources”.

“This will bring neither stability nor peace and risks worsening the situation,” he warned, also calling for a reform of the country’s armed forces.

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Metro

Zambia: Expert warns of food security threat due to climate change

Published

11 hours ago

December 22, 2024

Isaac Dachen

A prominent Zambian climate-smart agriculture expert, Oliver Bulaya, has warned of a collapse of the county’s agricultural sector with a potential threat to food security due to the worsening impact of climate change.

Bulaya, who bared his mind in an interview with Zambia Monitor on Friday, warned that ignoring the crisis could lead to severe disruptions in the country’s food supply and economy.

“Unless concerted efforts are made, the country will continue facing dire consequences from climate change,” the expert noted.

He lamented a growing trend of farmers relocating to regions experiencing above-normal rainfall, such as the northern block, as they struggle with losses caused by climate variability.

Bulaya emphasized that the once-reliable rainfall areas like North-Western Zambia are now experiencing lower precipitation, as seen during the 2023/2024 farming season and cautioned that poor farming practices, which had already strained the Southern region, could lead to similar challenges in other parts of the country if proactive measures were not implemented.

Metro

Outrage over murder of Nigerian beaten to death by South Africans inside estate security office

Published

16 hours ago

December 22, 2024

Isaac Dachen

The Nigerian community, under the auspices of Nigerian Citizens Association in South Africa (NICASA), has raised the alarm over the murder of a 37-year-old Nigerian, Julius Chukwunta, who was beaten to death by four South Africans inside an estate.

According to the association, Chukwunta, a native of Aninri Local Government Area in Enugu State, was reportedly attacked on Saturday, December 7, while driving to his residence in Midrand Protea Estate.

In a statement issued on Saturday by the President-General of NICASA, Dr Frank Onyekwelu, Chukwunta was blocked by the four men while approaching his residence.

Onyekwelu stated that information available to the association noted that after attempting to pass through, Chukwunta was met with resistance by the assailants, prompting him to seek help at the security office of the estate.

“At that moment, the four men allegedly attacked him, leaving him severely injured with a head wound,” the PG said.

“His female companion, who was sitting in the car, rushed to the security office and discovered him bleeding on the ground.

“In spite of attempts to call for help, the security office and residents did not assist in calling the police or an ambulance.

“After an hour, Chukwunta’s partner contacted her father, who, along with other family members, took him to Tembisa General Hospital.

“Chukwunta was placed on life support but later succumbed to his injuries and died at the Tembisa General Hospital on December 10, 2024.”

Onyekwelu also confirmed that the case was reported to the police by Chukwunta’s partner at the Midrand Police Station and was registered under file number 262/12/2024.

The NICASA President said the four suspects, aged 20, 24, 27, and 28, were arrested, and the case was presented in Alexandra Magistrate Court on December 13, 2024, where they were charged with murder.

“The court proceedings on December 18, 2024, saw three of the suspects granted bail of R10,000 each, while the fourth had not yet applied for bail. The case was adjourned to February 3, 2025.”

Onyekwelu however, expressed disappointment at the proceedings, wondering why three of the suspects were released on bail and vowed that the Nigerian community would continue to demand justice for Chukwunta and support his family.

He emphasised that the community would not rest until justice was served and the value of Nigerian lives was upheld in South Africa.