Felix Tshisekedi slams regional force in east, hints at June exit

DR Congo's President Felix Tshisekedi on Tuesday criticised a regional military force deployed by east African nations to stabilise conflict-torn regions in the country's east, hinting that the troops could depart by the end of June.

Speaking during a visit to Botswana, Tshisekedi voiced concerns of "cohabitation" between rebels and the regional force that started deploying late last year.

Dozens of armed groups plague eastern DRC, a legacy of regional wars that raged in the 1990s and 2000s.

One group, the M23, has wreaked havoc since re-emerging from dormancy in late 2021. 

The seven-nation East African Community (EAC) created a military force to respond to the crisis last June, with Kenyan soldiers deploying in November followed this year by Burundian, Ugandan and South Sudanese contingents.

"There is cohabitation that we have noticed between the contingent of East African Community and the rebels," Tshisekedi said at a news conference.

"That is a genuine problem when it comes to the mission assigned, and also compels to ask, what is the purpose of the mission?" he said, claiming that except for the Burundi troops, others "are now living together with M23".

His comments come a day after a special summit of the 16-bloc Southern African Development Community (SADC), held in Namibia, resolved to deploy forces "to restore peace and security in eastern DRC". 

Tshisekedi said the EAC force's mandate ends in June, "and if we feel that the mandate was not fulfilled will return them and thank them for having tried". 

"We have the confirmation of the coming of SADC troops which we will have to put in place," he added.

Namibian President Hage Geingob on Monday emphasised the need "for SADC to work together with the East African Community... to better coordinate our efforts" to back Kinshasa.

SADC countries include South Africa, Angola, Tanzania, Namibia, Zambia, Mozambique, Zimbabwe and the DRC.