{PRESIDENT Jakaya Kikwete has reaffirmed the country’s commitment in fully backing military action against negative forces bent on disrupting peace and creating anxiety in neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to ensure peace in the region.}
In a statement issued by the Directorate of Presidential Communications, President Kikwete instead boldly insisted that those who thought Tanzania was not ready for such patronage should be ignored as the country was “fully prepared in spirit and power to accomplish the mission”.
President Kikwete pointed out that as per the mandate bestowed to Tanzania, South Africa and Malawi by the United Nations (UN), the country was well-equipped to neutralise and disarm all negative forces in the DRC.
He noted that Tanzania, South Africa and Malawi collectively form Force Intervention Brigade (FIB), which is part of the UN mission in the DRC and the United Nations Stabilisation Mission in Congo (MUNUSCO), which is under Lieutenant General Alberto Santacruz of Brazil.
President Kikwete reiterated such assurance in Zanzibar yesterday when he met and held talks with South African Minister for Defence and Military Veterans, Ms Novisise Mapisa-Nqakula.
Ms Mapisa-Nqakula was accompanied to the talks held at the Zanzibar State House by the South African Minister for State Security, Mr David Mahlobo.
Addressing heads of foreign missions accredited to the country during the New Year sherry party at the State House in Dar es Salaam last Friday, President Kikwete said allegations levelled against Tanzania that it was not committed in the mission should be ignored.
Mr Kikwete told Ms Mapisa-Nqakula that Tanzania’s standpoint remains unchanged as the country was still committed to ensuring that all negative forces against DRC are dealt with effectively and eventually ended.
“There are some people thinking they are able to learn more about Tanzania and know the country’s standpoint more than Tanzania itself… they allege that Tanzania is not committed in facing negative forces in the DRC.
These are very bad people because Tanzania, just like South Africa and Malawi, has its peacekeepers in the DRC,” he explained. He added that Tanzania has started fulfilling its mission there (DRC) by dismantling the M-23 group.
“We are ready to face FDLR (Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda) and other groups like ADF and MaiMai. What stopped us from completing this work earlier is that the FDLR requested to surrender; they were thus, given six months to do so. The time they requested is now over.”
President Kikwete insisted that Tanzania is ready for combat as its forces are still in the DRC. “Even the UN’s directives for participation in the Force Intervention Brigade have not changed.
Tanzania has not even given directives to its forces contrary to previous one,” the president remarked. “The directives are open; there isn’t any confusion and there is no new directives issued to our forces. They are going on with their duties,” Mr Kikwete told the South African delegation.
{{Tanzania Daily News}}
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