Kenyan peacekeepers have stepped up security operations in the volatile eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), just as fresh accusations threaten to unravel a peace deal signed barely a week ago in Washington.
On Wednesday, Kenya’s 5th Quick Reaction Force (KENQRF 5) pushed deeper into Mayimoya village about 23 kilometres northeast of their base in Mavivi conducting a long-range patrol by foot and vehicle. The soldiers, serving under the United Nations, spent the day moving through villages and bushland, engaging local leaders and reassuring residents who have grown accustomed to living on edge.
The patrol comes at a sensitive moment. Only six days earlier, President William Ruto witnessed the signing of a peace accord between Rwanda’s Paul Kagame and DRC President Félix Tshisekedi, an agreement facilitated by U.S. President Donald Trump and billed as a major diplomatic breakthrough. But almost immediately, the fragile calm began to fray.
For many residents of Mayimoya, the sight of Kenyan troops patrolling their footpaths brought a brief sense of relief. The area has experienced sporadic militia activity for years, and rumours of renewed fighting have raised anxiety.
According to KDF, the operation was intended to reinforce UN forces already on the ground and to protect civilians until Congolese national troops can take full charge of the region’s security.
Images shared by the military show KENQRF 5 advancing through thick vegetation and greeting villagers a reminder that behind the geopolitics, there are human beings trying to return to some sense of normalcy.
Peace Deal Under Strain
The patrol unfolded against a backdrop of new hostilities. On Wednesday morning, Rwanda sharply accused both the Congolese and Burundian armies of violating the newly signed Washington Accords.
In a strongly worded statement, Kigali claimed that FARDC and the Burundian army, working alongside the FDLR militia, had carried out bombings on villages near the Rwandan border.
“The responsibility for ceasefire violations, ongoing attacks, and fighting in South Kivu cannot be placed on Rwanda,” the Rwandan Foreign Ministry insisted, adding that almost 20,000 Burundian troops had been deployed in South Kivu and were allegedly “laying siege” to Banyamulenge villages in Minembwe.
Rwanda also criticised what it described as the international community’s silence, urging immediate implementation of the peace accord signed in Washington and the finalisation of annexes under the Doha Agreement involving DRC and the M23/AFC group.
Accusations From All Sides
The situation remains delicate and deeply complex. Earlier this week, both Kinshasa and Bujumbura accused Rwanda of violating the same deal it now claims is being undermined.
With the three nations trading blame, observers fear the region may be drifting back toward the tensions that have defined its recent history.
Caught Between Armies and Militias
On the ground, Congolese civilians continue to bear the brunt of the uncertainty. Every new accusation between governments translates into fear of renewed clashes, displacement, or reprisal attacks.
That is why operations like the one carried out by KENQRF 5 on Wednesday matter. They are as much about protection as they are about reassuring communities that someone is watching over them during a period of political and military turbulence.
For now, Kenyan troops remain on patrol, navigating a landscape where peace agreements hang in the balance and where a single violation real or perceived can reignite conflict.
As the region waits to see whether the Washington Accord will hold, Kenyan peacekeepers continue their work on the frontlines, offering a measure of hope in a place where peace has always been fragile.
