Uganda President Yoweri Museveni's son, Muhoozi Kainerugaba, on Saturday, December 3, called on negotiators in the Democratic Republic of Congo crisis to recognise rebel group leadership.
General Muhoozi warned East African negotiators that the peacekeeping mission in DRC may fail.
Thus, he asked the EAC leadership to accept that M23 rebels had grown to military maturity that must now be recognised.
"If I were still Commander of Land Forces (CLF), I would immediately meet General Makenga (of M23).
"He is a great fighter and I am sure we would understand each other. We were ready to talk to Joseph Kony and Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), why not M23?" Muhoozi wondered.
Former President Uhuru Kenyatta leading the talks, was yet to respond to General Muhoozi's demands by the time of publishing.
Muhoozi also expressed his support for Rwandan President Paul Kagame, who was accused of fueling the ongoing crisis in DR Congo.
"I am a 4-star Uganda Peoples' Defence Forces (UPDF) General. There are very few things on this earth I have not seen.
"But I pity those who despise my uncle, General Kagame. Fighting Rwanda means fighting Uganda," General Muhoozi warned.
In response to the accusations, President Kagame held talks with the United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, over the eastern DR Congo conflict on October 21.
Kagame, who has since distanced himself from the ongoing violence in the country, revealed that the discussions were on the backdrop of the renewed tension between the DRC military and the M23 rebel group.
"I had a good discussion with the UNSG on the conflict in eastern DRC. The ways and means to de-escalate and address the issues peacefully are with us building in Nairobi, Luanda and other international efforts," Kagame tweeted.
Kagame also accused DR Congo President Felix Tshisekedi of exploiting the ongoing insecurity in eastern Congo to postpone the 2023 presidential election.
“This problem can be resolved if one country headed for elections next year is not trying to create an emergency so that the elections don’t take place, not that he won the first elections as we know.
"If he is trying to find another way of postponing the next elections, then I would rather he uses other excuses, not us,” Kagame assured.
President William Ruto recently deployed more troops to the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to help fend off M23 rebels occupying critical positions in the mineral-rich North Kivu province.
"Deployment of Kenyan troops to the DRC follows a decision endorsed and adopted by regional leaders at the third EAC heads of state conclave on peace and security in the eastern DRC held in Nairobi in June 2022," Colonel Tom Mwanga of the KDF affirmed.
