Our presence in Congo has nothing to do with fighting the M-23 rebels :- Museveni
President Museveni has denied any connection with M23 rebels regarding the deployment of Ugandan troops in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Museveni noted that the reason behind the war between M23 Government is clearly well known but suggested dialogue as the best solution for both parties.
“Our presence in Congo, therefore, has nothing to do with fighting the M-23 rebels. Right from the beginning, our advice to the involved parties in the Congo government-M-23 conflict, was negotiations.
The history of that conflict is well known and the solutions are there. The regional conferences of EAC and SADC have guided on this. Those are the facts.” He said in a statement.
Museveni denied reports made by Al Jazeera that Uganda had deployed troops to fight M23 claiming they are false and misinforming.
“I need to clarify one misinformation I saw on Al-Jazeera TV, the other night. There was an item that said that Uganda had deployed troops in Eastern Congo to help the Congo government fight the M-23 rebels. This is not true.”
He revealed that UPDF was deployed to fight Allied Democratic Forces ADF Terrorists who were killing Ugandans with Impunity.
“About 4 years ago, the government of H.E Tshisekedi, at long last, listened to our requests of allowing us to help the Congo Army fight the ADF terrorists that had been killing Congolese and Ugandans with impunity, using Congolese territory, for the previous 20 plus years, ever since 2002.
We were very happy for H.E Tshisekedi to do this and it has helped the Congolese Citizens in the area, they have gone back to their villages and the Ugandans are no longer being killed.”
He noted that besides fighting the ADF, the Ugandan troops were tasked to be part of the East African force and also protect the ongoing road works at the Kasindi- Beni-Butembo Road.
“You remember the 7 sheikhs killed, Gen. Katumba’s daughter, Joan Kagezi, etc.? That was the main mission our troops went to Congo for. Along the way, two new tasks were added: protecting the jointly funded Kasindi- Beni-Butembo Road and being part of the East African Force that had successfully separated the M-23 fighters that were East of the Bunagana-Goma Road and the Congo government troops that were, mainly, West of that road in some sections.”
He also condemned the Congolese Government for sending away East African troops accusing them of not helping to fight M23 which was never the mission.
“The Congo government, however, expelled the East African Force saying that they were not helping them to fight the M-23 fighters which was never part of the mission of that force.
The East African Force was neutral in that matter of the fighting between the Congo Army and the M-23.
With the mandate of the East African Force cancelled by the Congo government, the UPDF remained with the two tasks: to fight the ADF alongside the Congo Army and to protect the Construction of the Kasindi-Beni-Butembo Road.”
He also revealed that Ugandan has secured permission to deploy in two more areas due the the security situation.
“With the deteriorating security situation in Eastern Congo, we secured the permission of the Congo government to deploy in Lubero, near Butembo and Bunia, to the North of our operational area.”
