The Central African Republic was the belly of flying bullets a year ago, but that is no more following the intervention of Rwanda Defence Forces peacekeepers in the vast central African state. 

In an exclusive interview with The New Times's Eugene Kwibuka in the capital Bangui, this week, Lt Col Jean Paul Karangwa, the head of the 850-strong Rwandan men and women in uniform, who have been serving under the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilisation Mission in CAR (Minusca), said there was no security at all when the contingent arrived for peacekeeping mission last year.

Karangwa also revealed the challenges the peacekeepers faced in CAR, including dilemmas of guarding the presidency, weak government institutions and the failings of the African Union’s Mission, Misca, as well as the transition from Misca to Minusca.

The 850-strong RDF peacekeepers have completed their tour of duty and are being replaced with a new 750-strong force that will also keep peace in CAR for a year.

Excerpts:

It has been one year since the Rwandan contingent arrived here in CAR, how do you compare the security situation today with when you arrived?

There was a lot of insecurity when we arrived here. Grenade blasts were heard every minute. But today, there is calm and you can hardly hear the sound of a bullet. Since November, no single bullet has been fired even as members of the warring militias remain armed.

So, the challenge now is that the people are armed?

Yes, both Anti-balaka and Séléka militias are armed. They keep their arms in homes and only surrender those they no longer need, usually obsolete weapons.

What is the Rwandan contingent doing to stabilise Bangui?

When we arrived here, the first major task we encountered was standing between the warring parties. We had to stop attacks between the two groups. We were also tasked with the responsibility of protecting and escorting the President (Catherine Samba-Panza)r.

Why did the African Union Mission (Misca) choose the Rwandan contingent to guard the President?

It’s because we had our own equipment and ability to execute the duty. Troops from other countries such as Gabon, Cameroon, Congo Brazzaville, Chad, and Equatorial Guinea did not have enough military equipment such as Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) and other military equipment.

What do you make of this task?

Guarding the Head of State when you are a foreigner is a big challenge. It’s a difficult mission that calls for discipline and high levels of professionalism.

What has been the biggest challenge you have faced so far?

Working in a country with no strong government institutions. Working under the African Union Mission was also a challenge because they lack the necessary equipment.

The transition from Misca to Minusca also proved to be difficult because the UN mission was not well established here. We had to start from scratch. There were no facilities at all and we had to build them ourselves.

How is the current relationship between Rwandan troops and other contingents?

We have good relationships and learn from each other. At one point, we had to lend them some of our equipment, including the recovery vehicle.

We also invited foreign troops to come and interact with us and we would organise football matches.

You are being replaced by another commandant from Rwanda as part of the rotation, what should he know in order to succeed in this mission?

He needs to build on what we have achieved. But the key to success is to maintain professionalism and discipline. He also needs to always seek advice from the RDF High Command before taking major decisions.

What do you think is the future of the Central African Republic?

They need strong leadership to develop. They also need to establish strong security institutions. The country is endowed with vast natural resources but they can’t exploit them because they lack strong leadership.

editorial@newtimes.co.rw