Former President Uhuru Kenyatta is gearing up to lead a high-stakes meeting of regional heads despite his security being scaled down.
In a statement dated Thursday, February 9, the former Head of State confirmed that he intensified the planning of the Nairobi-IV meeting to find a lasting solution to the ongoing war in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
He further noted that he was galvanising international and local support to restore peace in the DRC – which is now part of the East African Community.
“As a follow-up to the Bujumbura communique and the outcome of the Heads of State summit of the EAC leaders, the facilitator (Uhuru Kenyatta) will intensify the planning for Nairobi-IV.
“The Facilitator will mobilize international and regional support for the consultative process. Nairobi-IV will be complex in its execution and will require the cooperation of multiple partners and the financial and logistical investment of all concerned,” read the statement in part.
The meeting follows an earlier gathering of heads of regional states – including Kenya’s President William Ruto – in Bujumbura, Burundi, that had been convened on a moment’s notice when the DRC war escalated.
Uhuru, the regional peace envoy, thanked the heads of state who attended the event for their continued commitment to the peace and security of the DRC.
“The Facilitator also welcomes the call for the cessation of hostilities and ceasefire by all the fighting elements in the eastern DRC and once again calls for the adherence to the Luanda Agreement that the Bujumbura Communique re-enforced.
“He also requests that all the armed groups lay down their arms immediately and cease any further hostilities and urges, particularly the M-23, to withdraw to the points agreed through the Luanda Process,” the statement read.
Uhuru also urged the East African Community Regional Force (EAC-RF) to deploy and take up their positions in Eastern DRC urgently and without further delay.
Deployment, Uhuru advised, would enable the regional force to interpose itself between the fighting forces in areas where the withdrawal of the armed groups was affected.
The former Head of State seemed to soldier on unperturbed despite a significant percentage of his security details being withdrawn by the Kenyan government.
Reports indicated that Uhuru and his family lost approximately 50 police officers assigned to serve them – leaving only a team of 25.
The directive caused disquiet within the Azimio la Umoja camp, with Raila Odinga’s Presidential Campaign Secretariat Spokesperson, Makau Mutua, arguing that Uhuru was entitled to state protection as per the Presidential Retirement Benefits Act, 2003.
Narc Leader Martha Karua and his co-principal, Raila Odinga, were also irked by the move.
Source: kENYANS.CO.KE