The Forum for Democratic Change National Vice President Robert Centenary has called upon President Museveni to withdraw the Uganda People’s Defense Forces (UPDF) from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
While addressing the media at the party headquarters in Najjanankumbi on February 3, 2025, Centenary said that the UPDF should be withdrawn from Congo to avoid conflict and focus on protecting Ugandans.
“We call upon Mr Museveni to immediately withdraw Ugandan troops from the DRC and focus on their primary duty of protecting our borders. Uganda must not repeat the mistakes of the past that led to costly reparations and strained diplomatic relations,” Centenary said.
Centenary condemned the recent attack on the Ugandan embassy in Kinshasa and said this was a sign that UPDF is not welcome in DRC and thus the need for its pullout before the conflict escalates.
“We strongly condemn the recent attack on the Ugandan Embassy in Kinshasha by angry protestors. This unfortunate incident further shows the possible tensions and hostility, which could further strain Uganda-DRC relations. The Ugandan government must critically assess its involvement in the DRC to avoid fueling more resentment and diplomatic fallout,” Centenary said.
He called for dialogue and asked the DRC president, Felix Tshekedi, to seek an audience with the M23 fighters to peacefully resolve the conflict in Eastern Congo.
“We further urge the DRC government to engage in dialogue with the M23 rebels in order to find a peaceful resolution to the conflict,” Centenary noted.
The UPDF has been in DRC since November 30, 2021, fighting with the ADF rebels who had previously been responsible for many terrorist’ attacks in Uganda, claiming loss of lives.
The operation shuuja, which is a joint effort between the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF) and the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC), aims to neutralize the ADF, a designated terrorist group responsible for widespread violence in the region.
While Operation Shujaa has achieved significant milestones since its inception in November 2021, the ADF continues to pose challenges. A recent United Nations Group of Experts report revealed that the ADF has shifted its operations in response to sustained offensives by UPDF and FARDC forces.
