CS Mudavadi Announces Plans to Evacuate Kenyans in DRC

The government has announced plans to evacuate Kenyans living in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) following the ongoing conflict in the country.

Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, on Thursday, February 20, urged Kenyans in the central African state to remain cautious and, if possible, relocate to safer regions.

Kenyans seeking evacuation from the war-torn country were advised to contact Kenya’s consulate in Goma or visit its temporary offices in Congo Brazzaville.

According to Mudavadi, the conflict between the DRC security forces and militant groups led by M23, which began in the eastern part of the country on the Rwandan border, appears to be spreading rapidly, posing immense danger to many.

The CS revealed that the latest decision to evacuate Kenyans from the country was also informed by the recent attack on the Kenyan Embassy in the DRC.

“Following the disturbing situation, we are requesting Kenyans in DRC to take extreme caution of their security situation, and where necessary consider possible evacuation, especially from the volatile regions,” Mudavadi noted.

“The Kenyan government is considering the evacuation of Kenyans who can reach out to our consulate in Goma and our temporary offices in Congo Brazzaville.”

Mudavadi went ahead to urge the parties in the conflict to consider an immediate ceasefire, as adopted by Heads of State during the joint East African Cooperation (EAC), and Southern African Development Community (SADC) High-Level meeting in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. 

Meanwhile, the statement by the foreign affairs minister comes hardly a fortnight after President William Ruto called for dialogue between the warring parties in DRC.

Ruto, who spoke during the opening of the joint EAC-SADC Summit at State House in Tanzania on February 8, urged M23, the Congolese rebel movement that took over Goma, the largest city in eastern DRC, to halt further advancement.

“Today, we join together to reiterate our calls to the parties to this tragic conflict to immediately cease hostilities and take positive actions to allow meaningful dialogue aimed at the restoration of stability,” Ruto said.

“An immediate ceasefire is the only way by which we can create the necessary conditions for constructive dialogue and the implementation of a comprehensive peace agreement,” he added.

Ruto also expressed regret for the millions of people whose lives had been plunged into uncertainty, adding that the DRC had lost the opportunity to accelerate growth and development due to the ongoing violence.