The Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) have once again been thrust into the turmoil of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), deploying a Quick Reaction Force (QRF) to confront the expanding threat posed by the M23 rebél group.
On Saturday, August 24, 2024, the first batch of the fourth contingent of the Kenya Quick Reaction Force (KENQRF 4) was officially flagged off at a ceremony held at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) in Nairobi.
Brigadier Stephen Kapkory, the Base Commander of Embakasi Air Base, presided over the event, which marked the commencement of KENQRF 4’s peacekeeping mission in the troubled eastern regions of the DRC.
“KENQRF 4 will join the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO), which is focused on stabilizing the eastern regions of the DRC where arméd groups continue to cause instability,” KDF said in a statement.
Addressing the troops, Brigadier Kapkory underscored their preparedness and the rigorous training they had undergone, expressing confidence in their ability to fulfil the mission’s demanding objectives.
“I am confident in your level of training and professionalism. Be good ambassadors of the Republic of Kenya by maintaining a high sense of professionalism and discipline in all your undertakings and uphold the exemplary performance registered by your predecessors,” he said.
The KENQRF 4 contingent will engage in a range of operations, including combating a***d groups, protecting civilians, supporting humanitarian initiatives, and facilitating the disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration of former combatants—a mission that previous contingents have successfully executed.
As the new contingent embarks on its mission, the first batch of KENQRF 3 troops has returned home, having completed their deployment in the DRC.
Brigadier Kapkory, who welcomed the returning soldiers, lauded their efforts in stabilizing the eastern part of the DRC. He praised their professionalism and discipline, which he credited for the success of their mission.
Tshisekedi kicks out EAC troops
This new deployment comes amid a complex backdrop.
Kenya had previously pulled its forces out of the DRC after the Congolese government, led by President Felix Tshisekedi, declined to renew the mandate of the East African Community (EAC) regional force, of which KDF was a part.
The seven-nation EAC first deployed troops to the region in November 2022 to reclaim territories captured by the M23 rebéls.
However, accusations from Tshisekedi and local residents that the force was cohabiting with the rebéls rather than forcing them to disarm led to the non-renewal of its mandate in December 2023.
Following this, KDF and other EAC forces began a phased withdrawal from the DRC.
On December 3, 2023, two contingents of approximately 100 Kenyan soldiers each departed from the airport in Goma, the capital of North Kivu.
SADC troops
In the wake of the EAC’s exit, President Tshisekedi turned to the Southern African Development Community (SADC), which deployed its own mission, SAMIDRC, on December 15, 2023.
This force, composed of troops from Malawi, South Africa, and Tanzania, alongside elements of the DRC’s arméd forces, was tasked with restoring peace and security in the eastern DRC, which has been beset by a resurgence of arméd groups.
However, despite the presence of SAMIDRC, the M23 rebéls have continued their advance.
Bintou Keita, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Héad of MONUSCO, provided a grim assessment in her July 8, 2024, briefing to the UN Security Council.
Her report, covering the period from March 20 to June 19, 2024, described the M23’s rapid territorial gains in North Kivu and its incursions into South Kivu, despite the efforts of both MONUSCO and SAMIDRC.
Keita’s briefing highlighted the M23’s capture of several strategic locations in North Kivu, where they have not only overrun Congolese militàry bases but also triggered new waves of civilian displacement.
“The rapidly escalating M23 crisis carries the very real risk of provoking a wider regional conflict,” she warned.
Kenya’s renewed deployment to the DRC signals its commitment to regional stability, even as the situation on the ground remains perilous and the international community grapples with how to effectively address the mounting challenges posed by the M23 and other arméd groups in the region.