The Ugandan military spokesman, Brig Gen Felix Kulayigye, announced that his country does not expect to join the Democratic Republic of Congo in fighting the M23 armed group.
In an interview he gave on 'Mama Urwagasabo TV', Brig Gen Kulayigye was asked if there is no problem in Uganda due to the fact that M23 controls areas close to its border, and he replied that there is no problem because this group does not threaten the security of their country.
In the Ikinyarwanda language, the soldier explained that the problem M23 is facing is that after it captured Bunagana, commercial activities across the borders of Uganda and DRC stopped.
He said: “The problem with M23 is only one. Ugandans' money coming into Congo is the only problem.
Because they are not the government, there is no agreement in terms of the economy, business has stopped, but security has not stopped Ugandans, they do not cross the border to disturb people, steal or even kill them."
Since November 2021, the Ugandan Army has been cooperating with the RDC in operations against the ADF terrorist group in North Kivu and Ituri Provinces, which was named 'Operation Shujaa'.
Brig Gen Kulayigye explained that while M23 does not threaten Uganda's security, their country cannot attack it.
He said, “At that time, we would not attack those rebels, who did not harm us.
M23 are Congolese, they have their own death and the Congolese state. There were issues [M23] that they asked to be resolved, while the government did what was requested, it had to implement it, following the promises made in 2009."
The agreement that Brig Gen Kulayigye is talking about is the one that the former fighters of the CNDP made with the State of RDC on March 23, 2009, with the aim of protecting the security of Congolese Tutsis.
After the government did not respect them, they again gave up their arms and formed M23.
Brig Gen Kulayigye explained that when this agreement was signed, Uganda was the mediator between the CNDP and the RDC State, and that it will continue to be a mediator to peacefully resolve the issues between the State and the M23.
He said, “What made them resign again must be investigated. We couldn't take sides and we were the mediators. If someone trusted you, you wouldn't back down to join the opposing side and you were determined to make it clear.
Even if they fight again, you have to be left with the responsibility of understanding them."
The soldier announced that Uganda is on the side of the heads of state of the East African Community (EAC) that the problem of M23 and the State of DRC should be resolved through political dialogue.
