By ALLY JAMAH

Presidents Uhuru Kenyatta (Kenya), Yoweri Museveni (Uganda) and Michei Djotodia (Central Africa Republic) arrive for the Special Summit of the Great Lakes Region for Heads of State and Government at the UN headquarters in Nairobi.  [PHOTO: PSCU]

Kenya: President Uhuru Kenyatta has challenged leaders of the countries in the Great Lakes region to urgently forge closer security ties.

This he said is aimed at defeating armed groups operating with impunity in the region and threatening security and stability of nations.

Speaking yesterday in Nairobi, during the official opening of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region, the President said the armed groups such as M23 in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Al Shabaab and others, are taking advantage of weak links between countries to remain active.

“Kenya, therefore, pledges its full support to the establishment of the Joint Intelligence Fusion Centre, and urges that the Centre be strengthened to spearhead expeditious implementation of the Protocol on Non-Aggression and Mutual Defence.” he said

He added: “Our co-operation is aimed at pacifying, stabilising and uniting the region with the ultimate goal of improving the people’s long term well-being. Member states are therefore required to address the root causes of conflict and instability, and to work together.”

He said the disastrous conflict in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo could only be solved by regional states saying the regional intervention force being deployed to deal with armed groups was evidence of that.

Regarding Kenya’s military intervention in Somalia against the Al Shabaab, Uhuru said that recent bomb attacks in Mogadishu are a strong indication that the insurgents are still active.

“The recent attacks at the UNDP compound and law courts in Mogadishu are strong indicators of unfinished business. We call on the region to speak with one voice in addressing this threat to guarantee peace and security,” he said.

Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni said among the biggest sources of conflict in the Great Lakes was lack of internal democracy in which groups refuse to accept election results thereby precipitating conflicts.

He termed rejection of election results as a “bad culture” that must be replaced by earnest efforts to ensure electoral processes are free, fair and reflect the will of the people.