The Chief of Defence Forces (CDF), General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, has issued a warning to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) regarding the alleged killings of the Bahima and Batutsi communities.
In a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter), Muhoozi expressed, “I know all Congolese love me and respect me. I beg of you, my brothers, stop killing my people (Bahima/Batutsi). God will bless you if you help us.” He called on Congolese authorities to take action against extremists, stating, “In fact, arrest and punish all those among you who are extremists!”
General Muhoozi further threatened military action if the attacks did not cease, demanding evidence of punishment for the perpetrators.
“If the killings of our people do not immediately cease, we want proof that the killers of our people have been punished. Otherwise, we shall seize the town of Mahagi soon,” he warned.
The Bahima are a Bantu ethnic group, similar to General Muhoozi’s Ugandan ancestry, a connection he has often highlighted in discussions about the Congolese tribes.
In a now-deleted post, Muhoozi announced that the “first public hanging” of criminals in Eastern DRC is set to take place on Friday, February 28, in Beni. He stated, “The governor of North Kivu has my permission to carry out the order.”
This is not the first time General Muhoozi has threatened intervention in the DRC. Recently, he issued an ultimatum regarding an attack on the eastern Congolese city of Bunia, demanding that “all forces” in the area surrender their weapons within 24 hours.
He warned, “I’m giving exactly 24 hours for all forces in Bunia to surrender their arms! If they don’t, we shall consider them enemies and attack them.” This ultimatum led to the deployment of Ugandan troops in Bunia, in collaboration with Congolese forces, to address escalating violence in the region.
The alleged ethnic killings have intensified with the advances of the M23 group in eastern DRC, which has captured significant areas of North and South Kivu provinces.
The M23 is predominantly Tutsi-led and is believed to have the backing of Rwanda. Their activities, along with the ongoing conflict, have exacerbated ethnic tensions in the region, particularly against communities perceived to be associated with them.
