11/09/13 Theafricareport: Uganda investigates M23 recruitments

This
follows an allegation by a Ugandan former M23 combatant, Lt Richard Bisangwa
who reportedly defected and handed himself over to security officials in his
home country.

In an
interview in Kampala,
Bisangwa said that he was tricked into joining M23 by some people who convinced
him that he was going to work for the United Nations Organisation Stabilisation
Mission in the DRC (MONUSCO).

But on
reaching Congo
he was allegedly forced to join M23 at Lumangabo camp.

"There
are Ugandans and Rwandans serving in M23," he said. "They are
recruiting Ugandans. While there, I saw Ugandan recruits arriving at the
camps."

However,
Bisangwa said some of the Ugandans fled due to harsh conditions in the camps.

Uganda army spokesman Paddy Ankunda said
the country will not tolerate Ugandans being recruited into M23 and pledged to
investigate Bisangwa's allegations.

''We
cannot allow that to happen," he said. "We do not support any local
recruitment into M23.If we discover that it is true, we will deal with it.''

The
latest developments came hard on the heels of the arrest of a Ugandan man,
Siomon Kayitara, on allegations he recruited 11 people for M23.

He
allegedly took the recruits to the DRC after allegedly misleading them.