The Ugandan army, deployed as part of the East African Community Regional Force (EACRF), has continued to make inroads in the Democratic Republic of Congo by seizing key strategic positions previously held by the M23 rebels. On Sunday, the UPDF captured the strategic location of Kiwanja in Rutshuru territory, North Kivu province, a site it has controlled since October of last year. The rebels are also preparing to abandon Mabenga.
Col. Michael Hyeroba, the Uganda continent commander, emphasized that “the compliance of the decisions made at the summit by the M23 is a very important factor in the reinstatement of peace and stability in North Kivu.” He noted that the UPDF’s presence in North Kivu has restored confidence and calm among civilians who fled after hearing of a potential clash between the UPDF and the M23. The Ugandan contingent commander urged displaced residents to return home and resume normal life, stressing that the East African Community Regional Force is a neutral body intended to secure a peaceful, stable environment and lay the groundwork for lasting normalcy.
Uyezu Gloria, a prominent businesswoman from the small town of Kiwanja‑Rutshu in the northern province, welcomed the deployment of Ugandan troops, stating that their presence reassures the entire community of security and a return to normal life. All positions occupied by the UPDF in Bunagana, DRC, have been secured, and the situation remains calm with no incidents of violence. The civilian population is already benefiting from the peace brought by the Ugandan contingent.
The sequential deployment of Ugandan troops and the withdrawal of M23 forces comply with the decisions taken at the 20th Extraordinary Summit of the East African Community heads of state in Bujumbura, Burundi, on 4 February 2023, and the East African Chief of Defence Forces meeting on 9 February 2023. Those meetings directed the orderly retreat of M23 rebels from the areas they had captured and the takeover of those areas by the Ugandan contingent of the EACRF. Since the UPDF’s deployment last month, the operation has proceeded according to plan.
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