Kenya Denies Meddling In DRC Affairs After Congo Recalled Its Ambassador

• On Saturday, December 16, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) recalled its ambassador to Nairobi
• Now, the Kenyan government has disassociated itself from the activities of a newly formed alliance called the Congo River Alliance
• Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi said the country was investigating the people behind a press conference that announced the formation of Congo River Alliance

Amos Khaemba, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings more than three years of experience covering politics and current affairs in Kenya.

Nairobi - The Kenyan government has denied its involvement in the activities of the Congo River Alliance, which Congolese politicians and groups, including the M23 rebels, recently launched.

Why government is investigating Congo River Alliance

In a statement on Sunday, December 17, Prime Cabinet Secretary and Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi said Kenya had no hand in the outcome of the press conference that announced the formation of the Congo River Alliance.

"The Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs of the Republic of Kenya refers to press reports that some nationals of the Democratic Republic of Congo claiming association with rebel groups within DRC addressed a press conference in Nairobi and made statements that are prima facie inimical to the constitutional order of the Democratic Republic of Congo," Mudavadi said.

Mudavadi said the Kenyan government was in no way involved in the press conference, arguing that it is not a party to the internal affairs of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

He stated that Kenya was committed to supporting peace, security, and democratic consolidation in the war-torn country.

The PCS disclosed that the country has launched investigations to identify the people behind the Congo River Alliance.

"Kenya strongly dissociates itself from any utterances or activities likely to injure the peace and security of the friendly nation of DRC and has commenced an investigation to determine the identities of the makers of the statement and the extent to which their utterances fall outside constitutionally protected speech," he added.

The statement by Mudavadi comes a day after the DRC recalled its ambassador to Kenya amid deepening tension between the two countries.

What Uhuru Kenyatta said about the DRC conflict?

Meanwhile, former president Uhuru Kenyatta expressed his concern over the increasing hostility in the eastern part of DRC.

In a statement, Uhuru, the facilitator of the EAC-Led Nairobi Process on the Restoration of Peace and Stability in DRC, condemned the ongoing fighting in the troubled region.

"The Facilitator of the EAC-Led Nairobi Process on the Restoration of Peace and Stability in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) condemns the reported escalation of hostilities, killings and displacement in eastern DRC," Uhuru said on October 9.