Kenya to send 231 soldiers to DRC

By Samuel Ouma

Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) has released 231 troops to be deployed in the Democratic Republic of Congo as part of a peacekeeping mission.

The soldiers will be working under the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO) to restore peace in the violence-rocked villages in the Eastern DRC.

The team had completed their training at the KDF Kangaita Camp in Mt Kenya and were handed over Kenya’s flag at an event in Nairobi on Tuesday, June 15.

Speaking during the handover of the flag, the Chief of Defence Forces General Robert Kibochi called on the troops to be peace ambassadors in the central African county.

He also urged them to remain disciplined during the exercise.

He said, “You are joining a mission similar to Amisom because you will be fighting their own people. This is not a peace keeping mission and you are lucky as some of you have served in Amisom and know what it is.”

“Be professional in your mission and ensure you are safe. Know it is not an easy task but with the training you will make it,” he added.

The deployment comes two months after President Uhuru Kenyatta and his DRC counterpart Felix Tshisekedi signed a deal on defence cooperation to promote peace, stability, and security in the region. The agreement was signed during President Kenyatta's official visit to DRC in April.

Kenyan troops will be working alongside soldiers from Nepal, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Brazil, Malawi, Ghana, Uruguay, and Morocco.

An earlier had report indicated that the KDF contingent would be deployed in the provinces of Ituri, North and South Kivu to fight against the armed group in the eastern part of the nation.