East Africa

Details: East Africa; 31 January 2025; 1003

By Dr LETICIA MOSHWE

In the heart of Central Africa, a conflict decades in the making continues to unfold, with devastating consequences for millions. The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), a nation rich in minerals but marred by instability, once again finds itself under siege. The M23 rebel group, with alleged backing from Rwanda, has escalated its offensive, capturing Goma and encircling key territories, displacing hundreds of thousands in the process. The international community is watching, but the question remains: will there be action, or will history repeat itself?

Hidden Hands at Play

This conflict is not merely a dispute between Rwanda and the DRC. It is a complex geopolitical crisis involving multiple actors, all with vested interests in the DRC’s vast mineral wealth. Rwanda, despite having no significant natural resources of its own, has emerged as a major supplier of cobalt and other minerals—resources found abundantly in the DRC. Similarly, Uganda has seen economic benefits from Congolese resources. One large nation, rich in minerals, is being drained by smaller but strategically aggressive neighbours.

The M23 Resurgence

The roots of the M23 rebellion trace back to the 1994 Rwandan genocide. Formed in 2012, the group accused the Congolese government of failing to integrate Tutsi fighters into the national army. Their initial rebellion led to the brief capture of Goma, prompting international donors to cut aid to Rwanda. Though they were eventually subdued, the group resurfaced in 2022, stronger and better equipped, thanks to reported Rwandan support.

A Growing Humanitarian Catastrophe

The latest offensive has displaced over 400,000 people in the first month of 2025 alone. North and South Kivu, already home to 4.6 million internally displaced persons, are seeing an unprecedented surge in refugees. The UN has warned of catastrophic human rights violations should Goma fall completely under rebel control. The city, a hub for humanitarian operations, shelters over a million people fleeing violence elsewhere. The stakes could not be higher.

The ongoing unrest is worsening the humanitarian crisis, with telephone connections severed across the region. Many humanitarian organisations, including LIT Base Global, have lost contact with their teams on the ground, leaving them unable to coordinate relief efforts. LIT Base Global, which has been supporting displaced families in the Kivu camps, is deeply concerned for its members in the area. One Congolese national supported by the organisation managed to flee to Malawi but remains in severe distress, unable to reach his family and friends who were not as fortunate to escape.

A Fractured Diplomatic Landscape

The Congolese government has severed diplomatic ties with Rwanda, citing its unwavering support for M23. While Rwanda denies involvement, the UN, EU, and US have all pointed fingers at Kigali, accusing it of funding, training, and deploying troops in eastern DRC. Reports suggest that Rwanda has up to 4,000 soldiers on the ground, playing a direct role in military operations.

Meanwhile, South Africa has condemned Rwanda’s actions, with President Cyril Ramaphosa calling for an immediate cessation of hostilities. In turn, Rwandan President Paul Kagame has dismissed these accusations, going as far as accusing South Africa of backing militia groups linked to the 1994 genocide. This war of words highlights the deepening regional divisions that make resolving this conflict even more challenging.

A Battle Over Resources

At its core, this conflict is driven by economic greed. The eastern DRC is one of the world’s richest sources of gold, tin, tungsten, cobalt, diamonds, and coltan—essential materials for modern electronics. UN reports indicate that M23, through its control of mining regions, funnels resources directly to Rwanda, generating an estimated $800,000 per month from illicit trade. With Uganda also vying for influence, the DRC finds itself caught in a web of economic exploitation.

Where Do We Go From Here?

Despite repeated ceasefires, peace remains elusive. The latest attempt at peace talks collapsed in December 2024, leaving the region in limbo. While Western powers, including the US, UK, and France, have condemned Rwanda’s actions, they have stopped short of imposing sanctions on Kagame’s government—a testament to Rwanda’s strategic alliances and global standing.

The people of the DRC cannot afford another decade of war. The international community must go beyond words and take decisive action. Accountability, diplomatic pressure, and targeted sanctions against those fuelling the war economy must be prioritised. Without intervention, millions will continue to suffer, and the DRC will remain a battlefield for external interests rather than a sovereign nation charting its own future.

Humanitarian Aid Efforts

The ongoing unrest is exacerbating the humanitarian crisis with the telephone connections no longer available in the region, many humanitarian organisations have are left unable to contact their team in the region, including LIT Base Global, a humanitarian organisation that has been supporting the displaced families in the camps of Kivu. The organisation is extremely worried for its members over the region, one of the Congolese nationals that LIT Base Global supports had been able to flee to Malawi but is in severe distress as he is unable to reach his family and friends that didn’t have the chance to flee as he did.

The world is watching. The question is: will it act?

Let’s here your opinions in the comment section below. Dr Leticia Moshwe is a Global Peace Ambassador

Details: East Africa; 31 January 2025; 437

Members of the Selection Panel for the recruitment IEBC commissioners Carolene Kituku(R), Fatuma Saman(L) with the CJ Martha Koome.[Boniface Okendo, Standard]

Chief Justice Martha Koome has called on the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) selection panel to remain independent and resist external pressure when selecting new commissioners.

Speaking at the Supreme Court in Nairobi during the swearing-in of two additional panel members on Friday, January 31, Koome stated that public interest must guide the selection process.

"The oath you have taken is a solemn pledge to serve Kenya with unwavering commitment to the rule of law and the Constitution. The decisions you make will shape not just the 2027 elections but the future of our democracy," she said.

Koome also urged institutions and stakeholders involved in the selection process to ensure swift, transparent, and credible recruitment of new commissioners.

She termed the prolonged delay in constituting the electoral body a threat to democracy.

"For two years, Kenya has endured an unacceptable situation—an electoral commission without commissioners. This has hindered the IEBC from fully executing its constitutional mandate, creating significant gaps in our electoral processes," she said. Civil society groups urge IEBC...

The Chief Justice reaffirmed the judiciary’s commitment to upholding the rule of law and protecting constitutional processes from interference.

"Recognising the urgency of this matter, I took responsibility to ensure that all cases affecting or delaying the constitution of the IEBC were prioritised for resolution.”

The selection panel, which is holding its first sitting today, has 90 days to appoint new commissioners, as required by the amended IEBC Act. By Mate Tongola, The Standard

Details: East Africa; 30 January 2025; 648

Retired President Uhuru Kenyatta addressing mourners during a burial in Gatundu South.[File, Standard]

Retired President Uhuru Kenyatta yesterday called the US decision to cut foreign aid “a wake-up call” for Kenya and Africa to utilize local resources to fund health services.

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Uhuru said that Africans should stop lamenting over US President Donald Trump’s decisions, which prioritize the interests of his people, and instead find ways to finance the continent’s health services.

Health experts have warned that Trump’s move could disrupt vital healthcare programs, particularly those addressing HIV and healthcare governance, which are now on hold.

Affected initiatives include the United Society Against Fraud, Waste, and Abuse (Usawa) program and the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).

Trump also withdrew the US from the World Health Organization (WHO), accusing it of mismanaging the Covid-19 pandemic and promoting China’s disinformation. However, he has suggested the US may rejoin WHO in the future.

Yesterday, Uhuru urged Kenya and other African nations to end their over-reliance on foreign aid to finance critical programs like health services.

He was speaking at the East Africa Region Global Health Security Summit at the Pride Inn Paradise Beach Hotel in Mombasa County.

“Whether we like it or not, resources to fund our health programs must come from ourselves. We must begin reprioritizing what is important for us as Africans and where our resources should be allocated,” he said.

Concrete intervention

On Tuesday, Health Cabinet Secretary Dr Deborah Barasa tasked departments and directorates to develop concrete interventions to mitigate the impact of U.S. budget cuts on health programs.

The CS acknowledged that the executive order by US President Donald Trump significantly affects health financing and is seeking measures to sustain essential programs.

“As a ministry, I have tasked various state departments to map out what is the impact of the executive order in terms of finances, human resources, and diseases and have a concrete way forward in terms of interventions, which will be shared with the Cabinet and the president and have the way forward on matters of interventions,” she said.

The summit organised by the Ministry of Health, Jumuiya Ya Kaunti Za Pwani (JKP), and the University of Nebraska brought together health experts from seven countries in Eastern Africa.

Yesterday, Uhuru emphasized that it was pointless to lament the withdrawal of US funding for health, stating that Trump has no obligation to give anything.

“He has no reason to give anything. We don’t pay taxes in America,” said Uhuru, urging Africans to become self-reliant. He stressed that it was time to utilize local resources for “the right thing, not the wrong thing.”

Uhuru further stated that Africa must prepare to tackle future challenges by funding its own research, vaccine manufacturing, and other health initiatives.

He also called on African nations to end armed conflicts that drain resources on weapons, diverting funds from essential health programs that could protect communities from diseases.

Uhuru concluded that ending wars and redirecting resources should be Africa’s top priority.

He said that during the COVID-19 pandemic, Africa managed to vaccinate its people after significant struggle, stressing the need to prepare for future health challenges. By Patrick Beja, The Standard

Details: East Africa; 30 January 2025; 650

M23 rebels patrol the streets of Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo, Jan. 29, 2025.

UNITED NATIONS — The United Nations said Wednesday that there is relative calm in the eastern Congolese city of Goma, following several days of intense fighting between the Rwandan-backed M23 rebels and the Congolese army for control of the city.

“There is, however, continued sporadic shooting, but an overall reduction in exchanges of fire within the city,” U.N. spokesperson Stephane Dujarric told reporters. “Continued clashes have been reported in surrounding areas, including in Sake, northwest of Goma.”

Dujarric said bodies were in the streets, and humanitarians report at least 2,000 people have been injured by weapons and shrapnel since the fighting escalated.

In early January, M23 rebels broke a ceasefire agreement, launching a large-scale offensive in the mineral-rich east with the support of the Rwandan army. On Monday, M23 said it had captured Goma, the capital of North Kivu province and a city of more than 2 million people, thousands of whom have been displaced from other conflict areas. Rwanda has denied accusations that it supports the rebels.

Members of the Congolese Red Cross gather the bodies of victims from the recent clashes at the morgue of the Provincial Hospital of North Kivu in Goma on Jan. 29, 2025.

Asked who controls the city, Dujarric said the U.N. assessment is that the M23 rebels clearly have “the upper hand.”

The U.N. has a peacekeeping mission in eastern Congo known as MONUSCO, currently with about 10,000 troops and police tasked with protecting civilians and disarming combatants. It has been in the process of drawing down its presence at the request of the Congolese government. In June, it left neighboring South Kivu province entirely. The rebels are reported to be pushing toward its capital, Bukavu.

In and around Goma, MONUSCO has reinforced its positions to counter the rebels’ advance deploying a quick reaction force, a rapid deployment battalion, a reserve battalion, a platoon of special forces and an artillery battery.

“The mission's priority right now remains the protection of its personnel, its assets and the many civilians sheltering within U.N. premises,” Dujarric said. “Our peacekeepers are also planning on sending out patrols today in Goma to assess the situation, to conduct resupplies and assess routes.”

Residents swim while carrying their jerrycans as they gather to collect water amid ongoing water shortages at the shore of Lake Kivu in Goma, Jan. 29, 2025.

The U.N. says Goma’s airport remains closed, halting the flow of humanitarian supplies. Most of the roads connecting Goma with the rest of the country are also closed. Water and electricity have been cut off since Sunday, and internet access has been interrupted since Monday. Only mobile phones are working.

In the capital, Kinshasa, the situation was also calm Wednesday. Dujarric said the main roads were reportedly empty, and supermarkets were closed because of the high risk of looting. On Tuesday, protesters attacked, looted and burned some embassies, including those of Belgium, France and Rwanda. The United States said Tuesday it was closing its embassy until further notice. On Wednesday it advised Americans not to travel to the Democratic Republic of Congo.

A man collects files next to the wreckage of burned vehicles at the Rwandan Embassy a day after an attack on the building during a demonstration against the escalating conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo in Kinshasa, on Jan. 29, 2025.

The U.N. Security Council and Secretary-General Antonio Guterres have called for the M23 to immediately cease hostilities and withdraw from occupied territories. They have also called for the withdrawal of Rwandan forces and a return to the Luanda process of mediation overseen by Angolan President Joao Lourenco.

The East African Community, which includes DRC and Rwanda among its eight members, was expected to hold an emergency summit Wednesday evening. Reuters reported that Rwandan President Paul Kagame would attend, but Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi was not expected to participate.

Before the latest round of violence, eastern DRC was mired in one of the largest and most protracted humanitarian crises in the world, with nearly 6.5 million people displaced due to efforts by armed groups to seize control of the country’s valuable mineral deposits. By Margaret Besheer, VOA

Details: East Africa; 30 January 2025; 576

A photo of the Independence Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) chairperson Ahmed Issack Hassan speaking during the launch of an operations familiarisation campaign in Nyeri on Tuesday, January 28, 2025.

The Independent Police Oversight Authority (IPOA) chairperson Issack Hassan has revealed why the authority is incapable of probing abductions.

Speaking to the media on Wednesday, Hassan said that the primary goal for IPOA was to oversight police conduct and since the National Police Service had denied involvement in the abductions, they would not be able to launch a probe.

"We came into office in December when there were a lot of reported abductions and forced disappearances. But the IG came about and said they are not our officers," he relayed.

"IPOA is an Act of government and we investigate misconduct by police officers. So wherein you have got people with hoods and cars with fake number plates who are abducting people, and do not take them to a police station but to a different place, I think these are issues that even the police must investigate."

IPOA

He further stated that preliminary investigations to determine whether police officers were involved proved the contrary after IPOA officials were sent to Nakuru, Embu, and Nairobi where recently abducted youth were recovered.

In his address, Hassan added that the low number of staff in the authority hindered comprehensive investigations into such issues.

He relayed that although 1,300 staff had been approved to work in the authority, only 284 staff were assigned, with only 77 of those being investigators.

This was in stark contrast to the over 120,000 officials they were supposed to oversee. He explained that this disparity in numbers had led to IPOA officers being overworked and suffering from burnout.

"We want an investigating staff of 600, but we have only 77, so you can see the challenge. The ones we have are already overworked and burned out," he stated.

"We are going back to parliament to meet with the committee on administrative justice and national security to get them to give us more funding so we can hire more staff."

The other challenge he mentioned was the 'blue code of silence,' which he described as the reluctance of police officers to cooperate and expose wrongdoing among their colleagues when an investigation is launched.

This comes amid a public uproar following months of unexplained disappearances that are suspected to have been carried out by police officers.

Although some of the abducted youths were released after weeks in captivity, details of their ordeals remain scant. Currently, several others are still missing, including the Mlolongo four, who were reportedly abducted in late December 2024.

Efforts by the High Court to compel the Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja and Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) boss Amin Mohammed to reveal the whereabouts of the four have bore no fruit as they have repeatedly skipped court summons. By Maurine Kirambia, Kenyans.co.ke