On Saturday, the head of the Ugandan army’s ground forces threatened to attack the city of Bunia in eastern DR Congo if “all forces” did not surrender their arms “within 24 hours.”
In a post on X, Lt. General Muhoozi Kainerugaba – who is also the son of Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni – claimed he had his father’s authority to make the threat, and stated he would not issue any further comments.
Kainerugaba known for his provocative remarks on social media, made unverified allegations that members of the Bahima ethnic group were being klled in the Democratic Republic of Congo, warning, “That’s a very dangerous situation for those attacking my people. No one on this earth can kll my people and think they will not suffer for it.”
Kainerugaba’s comments sparked concerns about a potential escalation of the violence in DRC between Rwanda-backed M23 rebels and Congolese forces.
A 2024 UN report raised the alarm over Uganda’s involvement in the conflict in eastern Congo. It said Kampala had, since 2022, been allowing M23 to use its territory for troop movements and supply lines, pointing to Ugandan complicity in destabilising the DRC.
Since late 2023, Ugandan military intelligence reportedly coordinated directly with M23 forces in Bunagana, providing essential logistics and transport support.
M23 military chief Sultani Makenga, who is under UN travel restrictions, visited Uganda for meetings in 2023, suggesting deeper ties. Additionally, the UN highlighted Uganda’s backing of the Alliance Fleuve Congo (AFC), a political umbrella for M23.
Kainerugaba has also openly supported Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame. In 2022, he described the M23 as “brothers of ours” fighting for the rights of Tutsis in Congo. Despite increasing evidence of Rwanda and Uganda’s involvement, both countries have denied providing direct support for, or harbouring, M23 fighters.
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