Uganda, DRC forces agree to secure Kasindi-Beni-Butembo road project

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Ugandan forces together with the Armed Forces of Democratic Republic of Congo-FADRC have agreed on opening up a second axis for offensive action against the Allied Democratic Forces-ADF in the DRC.

The second axis which will stretch through Kasindi-Beni road aims to secure the Kasindi-Beni-Butembo road construction project in DRC. This will now be the major route of operation, replacing the Nobili-Kamango-Mukakati-River Semuliki route where the operation was conducted at the start of the offensive against the ADF in November last year.

FARDC operations Commander Maj Gen. Bombelle Comille Ehola, says that they are under instructions from the head of states in Uganda and the DRC to eradicate ADF from the Eastern part of the DRC and secure the road construction project.

“After the president’s instructions, we agreed to meet and design the concept of operation to ensure we eliminate ADF and that the project from Kasindi-Ben-Goma routes goes on unfettered,” Gen. Ehola told a joint meeting held in Kasindi, DRC. He added that the two tasks; fighting ADF and protecting the road project will go on concurrently.

Gen. Kayanja Muhanga, the Commander of Operation Shujaa said they have drawn out modalities on how they can jointly secure the road construction and ensure there is safety of workers and their equipment.

Major Peter Mugisa, the operation Shujaa spokesperson told URN that the forces are aware of the threat ADF could impose on the road project.

Maj. Mugisa said the Memorandum of Understanding reached between the two countries at the start of this military offensive, operation Shujaa, is meant to among others secure works for the rehabilitation of the Kasindi-Beni-Butembo and Bunagana-Rutshuru-Goma highway in Eastern DRC.

The government of Uganda through the Ministry for Works and Transport, is injecting up to 243.7 Billion Shillings into the construction of the roads measuring 223 kilometers. The roads consist of the Kasindi section at the border to Beni (80 kilometers) plus the integration of the Beni-Butembo stretch (54 kilometers). It also consists of the Bunagana to Rutsuru-Goma road (89 kilometers).

Earlier, the Minister of Information and National Guidance Dr Chris Baryomunsi said that the operations of the ADF rebels in Eastern DRC are meant to disrupt Uganda’s infrastructural projects in the country. Baryomunsi said that the government has credible information that the ADF group wanted to disrupt the project of constructing the road so that they can remain in the forest and inaccessible.

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