Press review of this Tuesday, April 4, 2023
The controversy around the access of the FARDC to the territories liberated by the M23, in particular in Bunagana, was relayed by the newspapers published this Tuesday, April 4 in Kinshasa.
Forum of Aces reports that about the “alleged ban on access to FARDC territories liberated by the M23”, the Minister of Communication and Media, Patrick Muyaya said that it is “manipulation and intox”.
According to this daily, during his briefing to the press on Monday April 3, the minister recalled that the objective of the President of the Republic and of the entire government is to bring peace and security to eastern DRC. .
He adds that Patrick Muyaya assured that everything that is being done for the moment in the East of the DRC contributes within the framework of this objective, the President of the Republic, who has made the bet to protect every square meter of the national territory , watch over it
«Do not be fooled by the manipulation campaigns circulating on social networks. It is in no way possible to prohibit the armed forces of the DRC from carrying out their work on the territory of the DRC”insisted the government spokesman.
The tabloid indicates that with regard to the deployment of the Regional Force, Patrick Muyaya points out “that there are a lot of manipulations, we even talk about balkanization. We do not stop there, going so far as to relay the remarks of the M23 by saying that the FARDC would be prohibited in certain parts of the territory, it is extremely serious, considers the Minister of Communication and Media, to relay such remarks which can lead to demonstrations of anger from the population ».
For Forum des As, Patrick Muyaya demonstrated rather that “we are in the effectiveness of the application of the measures which have been decided by the various heads of state. There is talk of the M23 withdrawing and that the FARDC will gradually regain space”.
Et The potential notes that ” like Muyaya, Uhuru Kenyatta, the facilitator of the Nairobi process for the return of peace in eastern DRC shows his optimism on the evolution of the situation on the ground ».
Indeed, in a press release published on Monday, April 3, 2023, to give in particular details of the deployment of soldiers from different countries, the former Kenyan president believes that ” these developments also signal that more armed groups are now complying with the terms of the Nairobi Process and are therefore increasingly likely to be all brought into the political track of the Nairobi Process in the future.r”, explains this newspaper.
He recalls that in public opinion, criticism goes in all directions on the fact of the non-presence of the FARDC in the areas where the M23 is withdrawing, the case of Bunagana where the Ugandan Forces officially control the ground.
In this regard, underlines Le Potentiel, Minister Muyaya indicated that ” the regional force is a support force for the armed forces of the DRC and all these troops who are currently on Congolese soil, are there at the invitation of the Congolese government with the aim of working for the return of peace…This should not therefore be considered as any form of balkanization, especially since the objective sought is to bring about an end to hostilities. The agreed pattern is that the M23, which has gradually begun to withdraw, can give way to the regional force “.
And the minister added:The return of peace is one of the main objectives… The regional force is a support force for the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo. All these troops in the Democratic Republic of Congo came at the invitation of the Congolese government with the aim of working for the return of peace “, notes for its part La Prospérité.
Regarding this deployment of the EAC force, The Tropical Storm reports that the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs is expected at the National Assembly to enlighten the national deputies on this presence.
This call is launched in an oral question with debate submitted to the Office of the National Representation by the national deputy Claudel André Lubaya, specifies the daily which explains that the elected representative of Kananga notes that, since the deployment of the regional force on the territory rd Congolese, public opinion continues to question the nature of the mandate as well as the aims of the troops of this force.
” With regard to the forces of the Community of East African States, it is ostentatiously observed that they are slow to exercise the offensive mandate in support of the FARDC, a mandate for which they were deployed on the ground...,” MP Lubaya said.