Former Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta has stated that the Nairobi peace talks would have continued to yield positive results had the government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) not taken steps to obstruct them.
The Nairobi talks, led by the East African Community (EAC), began in April 2022 with the aim of finding a peaceful resolution to the armed conflicts in eastern DRC. Uhuru Kenyatta, then President of the EAC, was the key initiator of the process before being appointed as a mediator for the Congolese parties involved.
The M23 movement was a central subject of the discussions but was excluded from the process on the second day of talks by Professor Serge Tshibangu, a representative of Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi. Tshibangu accused the armed group of resuming hostilities a claim the M23 rejected, calling it a pretext to keep them out of negotiations.
In a statement released on February 6, 2025, Uhuru Kenyatta explained that the Nairobi peace program was designed to facilitate dialogue with armed groups, including M23, build trust among different parties, and organize high-level consultations.
The former Kenyan president emphasized that these initiatives were supported by the EAC’s peacekeeping forces in the DRC (EACRF), the United Nations, and its stabilization mission, MONUSCO. According to him, they had already yielded encouraging results, including a reduction in fighting, the return of displaced populations, and M23’s withdrawal from several areas it previously controlled.
Uhuru Kenyatta highlighted that by June 2023, there was real hope for restoring peace in eastern DRC until the Nairobi talks were put on hold.
He further pointed out that the peace process relied on two key pillars: political negotiations and the EACRF peacekeeping mission. However, in December 2023, President Tshisekedi ordered the expulsion of EACRF troops, accusing them of failing to effectively combat the M23.
Subsequently, President Tshisekedi declared that the Nairobi talks were “dead,” accusing his Kenyan counterpart, William Ruto current EAC chairman of favoring Rwanda and the M23. This led the Congolese leader to boycott EAC Heads of State summits.
Despite these setbacks, Uhuru Kenyatta’s office stated that “although the Nairobi peace program has been temporarily sidelined, it remains a crucial component in discussions aimed at resolving conflicts in eastern DRC.”
The former Kenyan president also stressed that the Nairobi talks complemented the Luanda process, which brings together Rwanda and the DRC under Angola’s mediation. According to him, both processes are essential for achieving lasting security in eastern Congo.
