Former President Uhuru Kenyatta is among former heads of state who have been appointed as facilitators of the East African Community (EAC) and Southern African Development Community (SADC) joint peace process in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
The announcement was made following a Joint Summit of EAC and SADC Heads of State, co-chaired by Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa and President William Ruto in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, on February 8, 2025.
According to a statement shared by Ruto on Monday, January 24, Uhuru will be joined by former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo and former Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn.
"His Excellency Dr. Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa, President of the Republic of Zimbabwe and Chairperson of SADC, and His Excellency, Dr. William Samoei Ruto, CGH, President of the Republic of Kenya and Chairperson of the EAC have continued engaging on the progress in the restoration of peace and security and in consultation with SADC and EAC Heads of State and Government have agreed on the appointment of H.E Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta former President of the Republic of Kenya; H.E Olusegun Obasanjo, former President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria; and H.E Hailemariam Desalegn Boshe, the former Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia as Facilitators of the EAC–SADC peace process (the merged Luanda and Nairobi processes) in Eastern DRC," the statement read in part.
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To further address the security situation, the EAC Chiefs of Defense Forces (CDFs) held preparatory meetings on February 21, 2025, in Nairobi.
According to the statement, a similar meeting of the SADC Chiefs of Defense Forces was convened in Dar es Salaam.
"Preparatory Meetings of the EAC Chiefs of Defense Forces (CDFs) from the EAC Partner States were held in Nairobi on 21st February 2025 to discuss the ongoing security situation in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The Meeting of the SADC Chief of Defense Forces on the same subject also convened in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The meetings followed a directive from the joint EAC-SADC Heads of State Summit on 8th February 2025 in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania.
"Prior to the Meeting the EAC, Defense Experts Working Group held two days of discussions on the situation in Eastern DRC. The meeting was guided by six key directives: Immediate and unconditional ceasefire and cessation of hostilities; provision of humanitarian assistance; opening of main supply routes; development of a securitization plan for Goma and surrounding areas; and immediate reopening of Goma Airport and advice on other facilitative interventions," the statement added.
With these developments, the summit has called on all actors, including the M23 rebel group, to cease hostilities immediately and adhere to the ceasefire directive.
"Considering the above developments, all actors are urged to observe the ceasefire announced by the EAC-SADC Summit, and the M23 and all other actors are called upon to cease any further advancements in Eastern DRC and to observe and abide by an immediate ceasefire," the statement further read.
Since retiring, Uhuru has held significant roles including leading the African Union Election Observation Mission (AUEOM) during Nigeria's General Elections in February 2023.
Additionally, in March 2024, he was appointed as a board member of the Tana High-Level Forum on Security in Africa, an annual meeting that brings together African leaders and stakeholders to develop African-led solutions to the continent's security challenges.
Uhuru also served as the Facilitator of the East African Community-led Nairobi Peace Process.
