Tensions are emerging within the east African community as leaders remain divided over the ongoing stand-off between the Democratic Republic of Congo who accuse Rwanda of sponsoring war and infiltrating its territory.
On Friday, DR Congo President Felix Tshisekedi did not participate in the East African Community (EAC) virtual meeting of heads of state who convened on the appointment of a new secretary general of the sub-regional organization.
Tshisekedi’s absence suggested disapproval of the recent comments made in particular by Kenyan President William Ruto on the situation in eastern Congo on Jeune Afrique where he advised the DR Congo find an internal solution to the insecurities rather than blaming Rwanda.
Sources in the DR Congo have revealed that Tshisekedi considers President Ruto’s remarks on the crisis in the east borderline provocative by a sovereign state and lacked respect for his nation.
The heads of state meeting, chaired by the president of the sub-regional organization and South Sudan head of state, Salva Kiir Mayardit, had two important topics on the agenda including; “Examination of the proposal for the appointment of a new Secretary General; and Consideration of the Proposal for the Appointment of a Judge to the Trial Division of the East African Court of Justice of the Republic of Kenya,” reads an official statement from the EAC.
The EAC had deployed a force in eastern DRC to support the DR Congo armed forces in the war against the M23 terrorists before the Congolese government asked the mission to leave the country along with the UN deployed, MONUSCO forces.
