Kenya is the latest addition to troop contributing countries aiming to end hostilities in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

At the weekend, President William Ruto’s country became the first East African Community (EAC) bloc member to deploy in the DRC. The deployment will, according to a Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) statement, be known as KENCON (Kenya Contingent) and is part of the EAC Regional Force (EACRF).

Speaking at what was termed “a flagging off event” by the KDF, ahead of the weekend departure of KENCON, KDF Chief General Robert Kibochi said the requisite pre-mission training would ensure Kenyan troops were ready to execute tasks as mandated.

The statement does not give any detail of what the Kenyan deployment will do or where it will be based in the DRC.

“You are the arrowheads; you are making history being the first team going on a peacekeeping mission under the EAC, therefore write a good one. Kenya has good peacekeeping record and I hope you maintain the same. Politically and diplomatically, you are there for disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration,” the statement has Kibochi saying in an indication of possible taskings facing KENCON. The statement does not indicate personnel numbers, musterings or what equipment will accompany or be forwarded to the Kenyan soldiers and states ambiguously the deployment “will be in solution amid heightened conflict in the area”.

The Kenyan National Assembly approved the deployment last Wednesday (9 November), according to the statement.

The EAC deployment is the second by an African regional bloc in DRC joining the Southern African Development Community (SADC) which, in addition to other taskings, comprises MONUSCO’s Force Intervention Brigade (FIB).

Malawi, South Africa and Tanzania are troop contributing countries to the FIB, the only United Nations (UN) peacekeeping mission presently granted an offensive mandate in the execution of its Congolese population protection tasking.

In another EAC/DRC development, the regional bloc “re-energised” its inter-Congolese dialogue under the EAC-led peace process. An EAC statement has it the dialogue will “incorporate local DRC community leaders and stakeholders to bring a comprehensive solution to the protracted security situation”.

• A Tell report