By Chris Muhizi for MCN.
Uhuru Kenyata, the Nairobi process’ facilitator, called on all armed groups, including the M23, to halt hostilities and lay down their arms before engaging in talks this past Wednesday, July 12.
This Wednesday, at the beginning of the work of the technical working group of the Nairobi process, the former president of Kenya issued this call.
According to him, the disarming of all armed factions and an end to hostilities will “enable our brothers and sisters to live in peace in this country full of potential.”
However, Lieutenant-General Constant Ndima, the governor of North Kivu, emphasized that the security and humanitarian situation there is still highly complicated and alarming.
He argues that the province has high hopes for this second conference to resolve “this useless war”.
On this first day of work, it was necessary to assess how well the decisions made on June 30 in Nairobi had been put into practice with regard to the beginning of the M23 rebels’ demobilization and pre-cantonment operations.
The Congolese government was requested in Nairobi, among other things, to make available and maintain the Rumangabo site intended for the M23’s pre-cantonment.
In turn, Angola and South Sudan should send troops to the aforementioned pre-cantonment position.
Kenyatta urged disputing members to take into account open consultative conversations in an effort to reduce violence in the region during a meeting with various stakeholders on the cantonment matters in North Kivu in the eastern DRC late last month in Nairobi.
He emphasized that the cantonment is a delicate part of the peace-restoration process that calls for open consultation, transparency, and stakeholder communication.
“The cantonment issue is a delicate and pressing challenge. We must make sure that all parties are properly consulted before moving forward with this critical stage. The previous President stated on June 30 that it was crucial to address all technical and logistical issues, including opening up indirect channels of communication and consultation with the military groups we intend to canton.
