Mnangagwa in Kenya to drive DRC peace process with Ruto

SADC Chairperson and Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa has arrived in Kenya ahead of a high-level meeting with Kenyan President Dr William Ruto, the Chairperson of the East African Community (EAC), as regional leaders ramp up efforts to resolve the prolonged conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

President Mnangagwa touched down at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport this afternoon, where he was welcomed by Kenya's Prime Cabinet Secretary and Foreign and Diaspora Affairs Minister Musalia Mudavadi, Zimbabwe's Ambassador to Kenya, Uganda and Somalia Winpeg Moyo, and other senior officials.

He is accompanied by Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister Professor Amon Murwira, along with top Zimbabwean government officials.

The main agenda of the visit is a landmark meeting scheduled for tomorrow at Kenya's State House, where Presidents Mnangagwa and Ruto — co-chairs of the SADC and EAC regional blocs — will officially appoint a five-member panel of high-level facilitators tasked with spearheading peace talks in the volatile eastern DRC.

The meeting will also see the adoption of the facilitators' terms of reference and discussions on funding modalities for the peace initiative. The effort is expected to harmonise existing peace tracks and provide a unified African-led approach to resolving the crisis.

Speaking earlier this week, Kenya's Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing'Oei said the Nairobi gathering would serve as a formal briefing for the appointed panel, marking a critical step toward stabilising the region.

"The time has come to harmonise our peace tracks and give this region a single voice," Sing'Oei said during a joint media briefing with Mr Mudavadi on Tuesday.

The panel of facilitators includes five former African heads of state known for their diplomatic experience and regional influence: Olusegun Obasanjo (Nigeria), Uhuru Kenyatta (Kenya), Catherine Samba-Panza (Central African Republic), Sahle-Work Zewde (Ethiopia), and Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi (Botswana).

Also expected to attend the meeting are African Union Commission Chair Mr Mahamoud Ali Youssouf, SADC Executive Secretary Mr Elias Magosi, and EAC Secretary General Ms Veronica Nduva.

The eastern DRC has remained a hotspot of insecurity for decades, with persistent fighting among armed groups displacing millions and undermining regional development. The newly appointed panel will be expected to chart a lasting and African-led pathway to peace.

The Nairobi meeting signals a fresh commitment by regional powers to consolidate efforts and present a coordinated front in tackling one of Africa's most enduring security challenges.