Kenya’s new commander of the East African Community Regional Force (EACRF) Maj-Gen Alphaxard Muthuri Kiugu has taken up his role in Goma, providing some certainty to the mission whose initial head was redeployed.

His entry had to follow Kinshasa’s blessings and is set to kick off the second phase of the force’s mandate that was verbally renewed till June after delays by Kinshasa which had accused EACRF of having not achieved much to end the fighting in the region.

Last month, Maj-Gen Jeff Nyagah left his role as commander of EACRF in the wake of tensions with Kinshasa. This week, Nairobi directly assured Kinshasa of commitment to end long-term conflict in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

But Maj-Gen Kiugu will have a full plate, foremost of which includes the uncertainty on how long the troops will stay in the DR Congo.

The regional force’s mandate expired in March and has not been renewed formally owing to Kinshasa’s criticism over EACRF's mandate and alleged‘cohabitation’ with the M23 rebel group. By MARY WAMBUI, The East African