Major General Jeff Nyaggah, the Commander of the East African Community (EAC) Regional Force deployed under a peace mission in North Kivu province, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) resigned citing aggravated threats to his safety.
In a resignation letter dated April 27, 2023, and addressed to the office of the East African Community Secretary General, Nyaggah said there were attempts to intimidate his personal security at his former residence in Goma city by foreign military contractors whom he described as mercenaries.
In his letter, he explained that mercenaries placed monitoring devices, flew drones as well as conducted physical surveillance on his current residence in January 2023.
He also cited a systematic plan to frustrate efforts of the EAC regional force in North Kivu province.
“There is a well-orchestrated and financed negative media campaign targeting my personality and direct false accusations of the EAC regional force’s complacency in handling the M23 rebels’ group,” reads the letter in part.
Nyaggah accused the DR Congo government of failure to pay administrative costs including Force headquarters offices, staff officers’ accommodation, electricity, and salaries for civilian staff as per articles (9) (c) and (d) of the Status of the Force Agreement (SOFA).
DR Congo government is yet to release a statement commenting on Nyaggah’s resignation. William Ruto, President of Kenya has appointed Maj Gen Alphaxard Muthuri Kiugu to replace Nyaggah.
In November 2022, the EAC agreed to deploy troops in North Kivu under EAC regional force to end insecurity caused by armed groups. Kenya was the first to deploy followed by Burundi, South Sudan, and Uganda.
However, in DR Congo a section of residents, civil society activists, and politicians have been up in arms against the regional force over their failure to launch an assault against the M23 rebels.