Ugandan Lawyer Urges Rwanda to Maintain Security Measures Over FDLR Threat Concerns

Kampala, 8 April 2026 - Ugandan lawyer and former East African Legislative Assembly member Fred Mukasa Mbidde has said that Rwanda should not lift its security measures until the FDLR is fully dismantled. Speaking in an interview with Radio 4 Uganda, Mbidde argued that the current security arrangements remain necessary due to ongoing concerns about the armed group’s presence and influence in the region. He expressed skepticism about the ability and willingness of the government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to fully implement commitments to disarm the group. He stated that, in his view, the FDLR has established links within political and military structures in eastern Congo, making its complete dismantlement difficult to verify in practice. “I doubt the DRC government’s ability to dismantle the FDLR,” he said, adding that he would only support lifting security measures once verifiable proof of disarmament is provided. Mbidde also cautioned against relying solely on formal agreements between states, stressing the need for concrete implementation rather than diplomatic assurances. The FDLR, a militia formed by remnants of forces associated with Rwanda’s former regime after the 1994 genocide, remains a persistent security concern in the region. Its presence has been a longstanding point of tension between Rwanda and its neighbors. The comments come amid ongoing regional debates over border security and the implementation of recent peace commitments aimed at stabilizing eastern Congo and improving relations between regional states.