The Democratic Republic of Congo representatives at the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) have boycotted a two-day retreat of the regional parliament being held in Kigali, Rwanda.
According to reports, Congolese lawmakers also boycotted a similar session in Kampala, Uganda, reportedly because they were concerned about their security while in Kampala.
They are said to have avoided entering Rwanda for the committee sessions of EALA on the same grounds.
ALSO READ: DR Congo EALA representatives boycott Kampala meeting
The EALA Commission – the leading committee which manages the affairs of the Assembly, organises the business and programme of the House, and nominates members of other committees – on February 14 decided on having capacity building sessions in Kampala and Kigali.
The capacity building session in Kigali was scheduled for February 15 to 17.
The Commission had directed all lawmakers "without exception” to proceed to Kigali, Rwanda from February 15 – 17, where the next capacity building activities for the committees will be held.
The Commission’s directive also extended to DR Congo members who were earlier attending the same capacity building activities in Nairobi, Kenya.
MP Amb Fatuma Ndangiza, a member of the Commission, and her colleagues, met in Kigali on Thursday. But the Congolese members were nowhere to be seen. Ndangiza told The New Times that this is not a good sign.
She said: "We still think that those members should have been here, and even in Kampala. As an Assembly we are very clear and we shall continue requesting all members to abide by the rules because we have clear rules of conduct of members.
"The East African Community is about integration. So, if you decide not to join others, it means you are promoting an isolationist policy. So, they need to know why they are part of the Community, it’s about integration; it’s coming together.”
The Congolese lawmakers who boycotted sessions in Kampala and Kigali, as reported, allege that they were concerned about their security. On this, Ndangiza noted: "Matters of security for their country are already in the hands of the Summit of the EAC Heads of State. It shouldn’t be part of the workings of the Assembly.”
An internal EALA memo states that "for the avoidance of doubt, any member not physically present is advised to make reference to the relevant provisions” of the EAC Treaty and the Rules of the Assembly when communicating his or her personal inability to attend. The memo also stressed that the requirement shall apply to all convened EALA activities within the bloc.
"The Commission looks forward to the promotion of collegiality amongst all Members, and shall do everything possible within its powers, to enhance the immunities and privileges that EALA Members enjoy during official EALA activities in every partner state,” reads the memo.
ALSO READ: Rwanda will not be drawn into intra- Congo conflict – Govt Spokesperson
The ongoing induction is meant to help newly elected members of the fifth Assembly which started work in December 2022 better understand regional matters as they start their first term.
Nine Congolese lawmakers – every partner state has nine representatives in the regional Assembly – were welcomed into the regional parliament a few months after DR Congo became the seventh EAC member on March 29, 2022.
The Congolese lawmakers were sworn in on December 19, 2022, along with all other partner states’ representatives. With the entry of DR Congo into EAC, the regional Assembly now counts 63 elected members representing the seven partner states plus nine ex-officio members – seven Ministers responsible for EAC Affairs, the Secretary General and Council to the Community, all totaling 72.
Now, however, 54 lawmakers are in Kigali to attend the Committee induction in a bid to familiarise the new members of the fifth Assembly with the functioning of the committees and the overall mandate of EALA in contributing to regional integration through its core functions of legislation, oversight and representation.
ALSO READ: DR Congo soldiers open fire at Rwanda border post – RDF
The Congolese delegation boycotted Kampala and Kigali induction sessions despite the fact that they were part of the decision earlier made by the EALA Commission to organize an induction for committees in Kampala and Kigali.
They later attended virtually from Nairobi during Kampala session but the commission insisted that they either join other colleagues for the Kigali induction session or conduct the virtual session from DR Congo.
Deteriorating security situation in North Kivu and South Kivu provinces
A deteriorating security situation in North Kivu and South Kivu provinces of eastern DR Congo where more than 130 armed groups – including the FDLR genocidal militia formed by masterminds of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda – operate has posed a serious threat to the region’s peace and security.
Though Kinshasa continues to deny its complicity, the sustained collaboration between the Congolese army and armed groups such as FDLR – a UN sanctioned genocidal force – is at the heart of the insecurity the region.
The M23 rebel group's resurgence over the past two years did not help matters as Kinshasa accuses Kigali of supporting the rebels, something Kigali has denied over and over again.
Kigali has said it has no intention of being drawn into a matter that is internal.
The Rwandan government has on numerous occasions emphasized that it has no interest in perpetuating a conflict on its borders.
But there are growing concerns, lately, due to multiple violations of Rwandan airspace, and fatal cross border committed by the Congolese army and FDLR coalition.
Kigali is especially bothered by the increasing hate speech in DR Congo targeting Congolese Kinyarwanda speakers, and calling for their extermination.
The Congolese army (FARDC) on Wednesday morning entered the no-man’s land between Rwanda and DR Congo and opened fire at its border post in Rusizi District, Western Province. The RDF, however, said it has requested the Expanded Joint verification Mechanism and the Ad Hoq Verification Mechanism to investigate this act of provocation.
This is not the first time DR Congo army soldiers are opening fire at Rwanda’s border.
In November 2022, a Congolese soldier crossed into Rwanda from DR Congo and fired at the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) guard towers in Rubavu District. He was shot dead by RDF patrol before causing any casualties.
In June 2022, another Congolese soldier armed with an AK-47 rifle crossed the Petite Barriere border, shooting at border patrol policemen and injuring two before he was neutralised by the police.
DR Congo has frequently conducted different acts of aggression including three rocket shelling incidents in Northern Province, which injured civilians and damaged property.
Most recently, a Sukhoi-25 fighter jet from DR Congo on January 24, violated Rwanda’s airspace – the third time such an incident occurred in three months – forcing Rwanda to take "defensive measures.” The plane was shot at.