President William Ruto of Kenya has disclosed his refusal to comply with a request to apprehend the Democratic Republic of Congo’s politicians, who unveiled a political-military alliance with rebels in Nairobi on Friday.
In a press conference at a hotel in the Kenyan capital, Corneille Nangaa, the former head of DR Congo’s electoral body, declared the formation of a political-military coalition with M23 rebels and other armed groups, aiming to foster peace. Standing beside him was M23 leader Bertrand Bisimwa.
This development elicited a strong rebuke from the Congolese government, which warned Kenya of the potential consequences of hosting Mr. Nangaa.
President Ruto, addressing Kenyan journalists in an interview on Sunday, revealed his dismissal of the demand to arrest DR Congo politicians, labelling it as undemocratic. He asserted, “Kenya is a democracy. We cannot arrest anybody who has issued a statement. We do not arrest people for making statements; we arrest criminals.”
In response to the Congolese government’s diplomatic actions, including summoning the Kenyan ambassador in Kinshasa and recalling its ambassador to Nairobi for “consultation,” President Ruto acknowledged DR Congo’s right to take such steps. However, he emphasised, “I cannot arrest anybody merely because they issued a statement. That is undemocratic, and that is not how Kenya operates.”
Kenya’s foreign ministry, in an earlier statement, expressed strong dissociation from DR Congo’s internal affairs and announced an ongoing investigation into the matter.
DR Congo braces for tense elections on Wednesday, marked by escalating insecurity in the eastern region where over 100 armed groups, including M23, are active.
