Gen Muhanga explains UPDF mission in DRC

Mukakati, DR Congo | Xinhua | At the front-line against armed forces in northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Major General Kayanja Muhanga of the Ugandan army (UPDF), has stated his determination to destroy “once and for all” the rebels of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a nightmare for the African Great Lakes region.

It is from Mukakati, a temporary base where the Ugandan army has settled in the middle of the forest in DRC’s Beni territory, long troubled by armed attacks, that the Ugandan officer elaborated in an exclusive interview with Xinhua.

Since November 30, Ugandan forces have officially launched, in collaboration with their Congolese counterparts (FARDC), air and artillery operations against several positions of the notorious ADF rebels in DRC, a nightmare shared by Kinshasa and Kampala, which accuses the ADF rebels of being behind recent terrorist attacks in the Ugandan capital.

A few hours after the launch of the joint military operations, the Ugandan army immediately deployed troops and military equipment that crossed the border from Nobili, in DRC’s North Kivu province.

At least 1,700 Ugandan soldiers have already arrived on the Congolese soil since the beginning of the operations, accompanied by about 100 vehicles of the troop transports, battle tanks, armored vehicles and others, according to the Congolese and Ugandan authorities.

RESTORING PEACE THE PRIORITY

For the major general, also the Ugandan commander leading these operations in DRC, it is time to hunt down the rebels until the total restoration of peace.

“After the official launch of operations by airstrikes, we are currently in the phase of deploying our ground troops to continue operations and pursue the enemy everywhere through its hiding places in areas that have been under threat for decades,” Muhanga said.

Without specifying a deadline set for this operation, the Ugandan officer however clarified the mission’s priority of “eradicating the ADF rebels to allow the return of a lasting peace and commercial activities” in the northeastern part of the DRC.

Referring to the memorandum signed by the two armies that guides the objective of these ongoing operations, he promised that the two armies will do their best within the framework of this memorandum to end the sufferings of their peoples from the violences inflicted by the ADF rebels.

NO HIDDEN AGENDA

Responding to the question raised by some organizations against the deployment of Ugandan armed forces in the DRC, Major General Muhanga reassured that his country has no hidden agenda behind these operations which simply consist of hunting down and eradicating the ADF rebels.

“I do not bring with me machines that consist in exploiting any wealth of the DRC. Our presence on the Congolese soil justifies operations against the rebels in order to bring peace between our countries. We are not interested in the exploitation of minerals or any trade. It is clear,” he insisted.

Some poisoning campaigns undertaken by certain personalities and organizations simply aim at diverting the attention and support of the population of two countries, especially that of the DRC on the ongoing operations, he said.

“We have only brought our souls, and we are focused on the complete destruction of the ADF rebels. No one is going to distract us from that main objective. And in order to succeed, we need everyone during this operation,” Muhanga added.

POSSIBLE COLLABORATION WITH U.N.

In a press conference held on December 1, the spokesman of the UN Mission in the DRC (MONUSCO) Mathias Gillmann expressed the “respect” of the UN mission for the joint military operations between Kinshasa and Kampala.

“Our mandate allows us to support the Congolese army in its operations. Our mandate does not allow us to support a regional coalition. But that doesn’t mean we can’t do anything. It simply means that our efforts must be coordinated,” he noted.

Responding to the joint operations by the two countries, head of the MONUSCO Bintou Keita asked on December 6 in New York Kinshasa and Kampala to define a “common strategy as part of ongoing operations to ensure the security of the civilian population”, still without stating a roadmap on possible participation in the Kinshasa-Kampala joint operation.

Regarding possible collaboration with MONUSCO elements deployed in northeastern DRC, the Uganda Commander stressed that he has no particular problems with MONUSCO, which has already been conducting operations in collaboration with the DRC for several years.

“We have a memorandum signed between us two countries (Uganda and the DRC) to conduct the joint military operations. But if there is ever any support from the UN, then it does not give us any particular problem,” he said.