Tanzania’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, January Makamba, has refuted claims suggesting Tanzania’s armed forces are engaged in combat in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Makamba emphasized that Tanzania is not involved in any armed conflict within the DRC but is instead part of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) mission.
The controversy arose after a news article titled ‘JWTZ finishes-off M23’ suggested Tanzania’s involvement in military operations against the M23 rebel group in the DRC. Makamba dismissed this headline as erroneous, stating that Tanzania’s presence in the DRC is within the framework of the SADC mission, as decided during the August 2023 SADC Summit.
General Jacob Mkunda, Tanzania’s Chief of Defence Forces, confirmed that troops for the SADC mission (SAMIDRC) began deployment in the DRC on December 15, 2023. Major General Monwabisi Dyakopu from South Africa leads the SAMIDRC forces, with contributions from Malawi, Tanzania, and South Africa.
The intervention in the DRC was initiated at the invitation of DRC President Felix Tshisekedi, who sought SADC assistance following the withdrawal of UN Peacekeepers and the conclusion of the East African Community (EAC) regional force. Tshisekedi accused the EAC force of collaborating with rebels, prompting him to seek support from SADC.
Tshisekedi has accused Rwandan President Paul Kagame of supporting the M23 rebels, while Kagame alleges that the DRC is harboring the FDLR rebels, Rwanda’s adversaries.
Despite social media speculation fueled by a statement from the M23 rebel group, Tanzania maintains its commitment to peaceful resolutions through regional political mechanisms such as the Luanda and Nairobi processes. The statement from M23 acknowledged Tanzania’s alignment with these peace processes but cautioned against the use of heavy artillery by Tanzanian forces.
