Scholar in African politics, Professor Thomas Mandrup from the Security Institute of Governance and Leadership in Africa at Stellenbosch University, says Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) President Félix Tshisekedi’s request for the United Nations army to withdraw from his country, is politically motivated.
The country is heading to the polls later in the year and President Tshisekedi has indicated that he will seek another term in office.
Addressing the 78th UN General Assembly in New York, Tshisekedi said the mission, known as MONUSCO had failed to bring peace in his country, despite being there for 25 years.
Professor Mandrup says it will be difficult for any external force to effectively calm the situation in the DRC.
“Of course we have the East African force being deployed to assist the Congolese. And now we have the SADC force that is being planned and are going to be deployed, and the question is whether it will be able to go in and fill the void that the MONUSCO will leave. So it is very unlikely that at this stage we going to see other forces being able to effectively handle it, if the Congolese do not want to take responsibility themselves.”
