There is an ongoing diplomatic tiff between Kenya and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The reason for this stem from recent statements made in Nairobi during which a group of Congolese nationals apparently declared war on their country. The Congolese nationals who issued a statement last week, on Friday, from one of the hotels in the Kenyan capital announced that nine Congolese rebel groups, including the M23, had united to form “the Congo River Alliance (AFC).” ALSO READ Ruto to DR Congo: I cannot arrest people for making a statement Notable among them include Corneille Nangaa, who formerly headed DR Congo’s electoral body, and Bertrand Bisimwa, the political head of M23 rebel group. Kinshasa cried foul, and called upon Kenya to arrest the individuals who made a declaration to unseat the regime in power over what they said was its inability to restore state authority across the country. They also said that it was against the spirit of the East African Community – a body to which the two countries belong. On the other hand, the Kenyan government has said that while they don’t associate with the statements, they fall within the ambits of democratic freedoms and can therefore not arrest people on the basis of what they said in press interviews. ALSO READ: US govt says DR Congo, M23 rebels have agreed to a 72-hour ceasefire Nangaa, who is currently in exile, presided over the elections that took place in 2018 and saw current president Felix Tshisekedi elected to lead his country for five years. However, Tshisekendi’s reign has been characterised by chaos. He has openly co-opted militia groups, including Rwandan genocidal militia, into the Congolese national military. Tshisekedi has, on more than one occasion, declared that he would back any one who will attack and remove the government in Kigali. He actually made good on his promise, with the FDLR militia in DR Congo launching several attacks on Rwandan territory. ALSO READ Kigali reacts to Tshisekedi war rhetoric It is, therefore, ironical that Kinshasa is now castigating Nairobi for not arresting Congolese nationals who issued a statement condemning its inefficiency, to the extent of threatening to expel the Kenyan envoy, while the Congolese government, with the head of state at the forefront, has openly been co-opting militia groups hell bent on causing insecurity in the region.
