Resignation of the Kenyan EAC Force Mission Chief in the DRC

In response to threats to his safety, the Kenyan commander of the regional force mission of the East African Community in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo has resigned.

General Jeff Nyagah stated in his letter of resignation dated April 27 that he was leaving the mission due to what he called a “aggravated threat” to his safety and a “systematic plan” to thwart the work of the force.

According to Nyagah, he was compelled to move in early January as a result of what he thought were monitoring devices, surveillance drones, and other forms of physical surveillance being set up at his home by mercenaries.

He also mentioned, among other things, how the DRC government had shut down the mission’s Facebook page and how it had neglected to pay the EAC Force headquarters’ administrative expenses, salaries, and electricity bills.

To help tackle insecurity in the eastern DRC, the DRC and the East African Community inked a soldier deployment agreement in September 2022. Soldiers from East African member states Kenya, Uganda, South Sudan, and Uganda are included in the mission.

In September of last year, Kenya approved the deployment of 1,000 soldiers for the new DRC force, and Nyagah was named as its commander.

The group was established in an effort to reduce bloodshed in eastern Congo, where the government is at odds with M23 rebels and hostilities have driven thousands of civilians from their homes.