In a rare and symbolic show of unity, President William Ruto and his predecessor, Uhuru Kenyatta, met at State House Nairobi today for a joint East African Community (EAC) and Southern African Development Community (SADC) summit focused on restoring peace in the war-torn eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
The high-level meeting brought together key regional players, including Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa, and a distinguished panel of former African heads of state who were appointed to lead peace talks in the DRC.
“It is a critical moment for Africa,” President Ruto said during the closed-door summit. “The DRC deserves sustainable peace, and as neighbors and brothers, we must rise to that responsibility.”
Uhuru Kenyatta attended in his official capacity as the EAC-appointed facilitator of the Nairobi Process on Peace and Security in the Eastern DRC. His role remains central in coordinating regional peace efforts that have gained momentum in recent months.
His presence alongside President Ruto, despite their political differences, underscored the urgency and gravity of the DRC conflict. “Peace knows no boundaries—political or personal,” said Kenyatta, reaffirming his commitment to the cause. “Our duty is to the people of Congo and to the stability of this region.”
The summit also featured fellow peace facilitators including former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, former South African President Kgalema Motlanthe, former Central African Republic President Catherine Samba-Panza, and former Ethiopian President Sahle-Work Zewde.
The five were officially appointed during the March joint EAC-SADC summit, co-chaired by Ruto and Mnangagwa.
Their collective mandate is to steer dialogue, mediate ceasefire agreements, and facilitate humanitarian access in the DRC’s volatile east.
President Mnangagwa emphasized the need for African-led solutions. “The DRC crisis must be resolved by Africans, for Africans. That is our commitment here today.”
With rebel violence escalating in the eastern provinces of Congo, millions have been displaced, and civilian lives hang in the balance.
