Former Kenyan president Uhuru Kenyatta has been praised for helping end the Tigrayan conflict in Ethiopia. As a retired president and a glad-handed statesman, he became an obvious choice for the East African Community (EAC) in its pursuit of peace in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

But the complexity of the Congo conflict has left Kenyatta gasping for breath, with support and opposition coming in equal measure.

So what happened?

Interviews with people close to the peace process in the DRC paint a complex picture of the conflict, with parties routinely shifting bases or allegiance depending on interests.

‘Bidding for own side’

Kenyatta, the official facilitator of the EAC peace process, now faces lamentations from the same parties that praised him.

“Everybody is bidding for their own side; some want to win the glory of bringing peace to the DRC – so the issue of who takes credit is important here. It is a no-win situation,” said an official who has worked with Kenyatta on the programme. The East African