UPDF Ready to Deploy Troops to Goma as Part of Regional Force

Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF) will deploy troops to Goma in North Kivu at the end of March as part of the regional force of the East African Community (EAC).

This was announced Thursday by the Ugandan army delegation during a meeting with the Governor of North Kivu province, Lieutenant General Constant Ndima.

The head of the UPDF delegation, Colonel Michael Walaka who was accompanied by EAC Force Headquarters officials, said the Ugandan force comes with the mission “to disarm illegal arms carriers and contribute to the return of peace” in North Kivu.

He is quoted by Radio Okapi asking the population of this province “to lend a hand to his army for the restoration of peace, a prerequisite for any development”.

Col Deo Akiiki, the UPDF deputy spokesperson, confirmed the development to SoftPower News on Friday.

“True, we are now ready to deploy very, very soon,” he stated.

He added: “It’s a mission we had to prepare fully given our knowledge of the terrain in DRC. All the required components are now in place.”

Uganda is expected to deploy at least 1,000 soldiers to conflict-torn eastern DRC where M23 rebels have seized swathes of territory since re-emerging from dormancy in late 2021, displacing hundreds of thousands of people.

Kenyan and Burundian troops are already deployed in the territories of Masisi and Rutshuru as part of the EAC’s military mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Ugandan troops are already present in eastern DRC as part of a joint mission with the Congolese army to fight the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) rebels.