The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has stepped up border patrols after the former military chief of a once powerful rebel group vanished from a camp for demobilized fighters in Uganda.

According to Julien Paluku, the governor of the North Kivu province in the DRC’s volatile east, Ugandan authorities no longer know the whereabouts of Sultani Makenga, who was the military chief of the M23 rebel group.

“We were in contact with the Ugandan intelligence services who confirmed that, since Friday, ex-Colonel Makenga may have fled and the Ugandan services have not been able to locate him,” Paluku said.

An official with M23’s political wing declined to comment and referred questions about Makenga to the Ugandan authorities. A Ugandan army spokesman said he did not know if Makenga had disappeared but would seek to confirm his whereabouts.

Until its defeat in 2013, M23 was the strongest of dozens of armed groups that have continued to control large swaths of mineral-rich eastern Congo despite the end of 1998-2003 war.

The area was also the epicentre of a 1996-97 conflict and it remains a tinder box of ethnic and political divisions even today. Some researchers say millions died as a result of the wars, though others dispute that estimate as exaggerated.

Paluku said there was no confirmation Makenga had returned to Congo but said there had been reports of unidentified troops in North Kivu’s Sarambwe Nature Reserve, along the border with Uganda, an area that was once an M23 stronghold.

“There’s a maximum alert. Our troops are carrying out combat patrols so that, if it turns out it’s true, they will proceed to neutralise (Makenga) along with any allies who might be accompanying him on this adventure,” the governor said.

At its peak, M23 seized North Kivu’s capital Goma but following its defeat by UN and Congolese troops, many of its fighters fled into Uganda and Rwanda. They have since lived in military-run camps awaiting amnesties promised under a peace deal.

Uganda said in 2014 that it was hosting 1,430 former M23 fighters. However, many have since left the camps and there have been persistent rumours that the rebels were seeking to regroup.

UN investigators said the group, accused of war crimes by rights campaigners, was supported by Rwanda – a charge Kigali has repeatedly denied.

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Mathew Kanaymunyu, the state operative being held for allegedly shooting and killing a civilian, Kenneth Akena Watmon, should face the law, outspoken critic Winnie Byanyima has said.

Writing on her Twitter Account, Ms Byanyima, who admitted to being an aunt of the reported assailant, said justice should prevail in regard to the fatal shooting of Mr Akena.

‘My heart and prayers are with Akena’s family. Let justice be done. Mathew (Kanyamunyu) is my nephew. It is a tragedy for us too’, Ms Byanyima wrote on hearing of the killing that took place on Saturday.

On the fateful day Mr Akena, who had reportedly gone to withdraw money from an ATM at Game Stores in Lugogo, reversed his car and crashed Mr Kanyamunyu’s vehicle, prompting the latter to draw a gun and shoot the deceased.

On realizing his folly, Kanyamunyu, in the company of a lady friend, reportedly drove Akena to Nakasero Hospital but he was later pronounced dead.

According to Kampala Metropolitan Spokesperson Emilian Kayima, Mr Kanyamunyu and his lady friend are detained and ‘helping police with investigations’.

Meanwhile, of late the wanton killing of civilians by armed personnel linked to the state has become rampant, with several men and officers serving lengthy jail terms for indiscriminate use of arms against civilians.

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Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces has cleared the Chief Political Commissar Colonel Felix Kulaigye of any wrongdoing in an incident involving a botched gold transaction.

In August Col. Kulaigye following allegations that  he had used his influence to detain mineral dealer Richard Kamugisha’s employees, who allegedly sold his relative ‘fake’ gold.

At the time Mr Kamugisha, Col. Kulaigye, who is also an army representative in parliament, of kidnapping employees of his company and ransacking its premises after the gold transaction went bad.

The dour saga started in June after one Murungi, Kulayigye’s niece visited the offices of Kamugisha’s Matrich Holdings in Ntinda to test the gold that she was interested in buying from a Congolese businessman. She reportedly paid US$ 200, (approx. Shs 671,600) for testing two kilograms of gold.

Aso read:https://eagle.co.ug/2016/08/26/intrigue-cited-col-kulaigye-suspension.html

Murungi, according to reports, later stated that the gold, estimated at US$ 60,000 had been stolen at the premises, leading to the arrest and detention of the four employees of Matrich by police.

However, after two months of investigations, the army found no evidence to pin Col. Kulaigye on allegations that he tortured and ordered the arrests as claimed by Kamugisha.

When contacted for a comment by EagleOnline, Col. Kulaigye acknowledged the development but refused to reveals details.

“It is true, and I am happy about it but I have no more information to give you,” he said.

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A state operative, Mathew Kanyamunyu, is reported to have shot and killed one person in an incident involving the knocking of his vehicle.

The incident that has left the nation in shock and only reminds the country of the past when soldiers and operatives of past regimes killed at will, took place last evening at Game Stores in Lugogo.

According an eye witness who preferred anonymity because of the nature of the case, the deceased, known as Kenneth Akena Watmon, had gone to withdraw money at one of the ATMs and upon return, reversed and in the process knocked Mr. Kanyamunyu’s vehicle.

All this took place as Kanyamunyu and a lady friend were seated in the vehicle. Realizing that he had knocked, Akena jumped out to assess the damage and possibly talk to Kanyamunyu. However, as he walked towards Kanyamunyu, he was shot.

Kanyamunyu, on realizing that he could have acted out of anger, drove a frail Akena to Nakesero Hospital but like fate would have it, Akena passed on.

Police Spokesperson for Kampala Metropolitan, Emilian Kayima confirmed the incident and said they have two suspects (Kanyamunyu and the lady) in their custody.

“We haven’t gone far with investigations but I can only confirm that someone was shot and we have two suspects; we are trying to gather all the evidence,” Mr kayima said.

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