According to New Vision, a weekly newspaper in Uganda that quotes the spokesperson of the mountain division of the operation of the Uganda People’s Defense Forces, Major Bilal Katamba as the source, Philippe Vambe Kyakimwa an economic operator, former head of the DGDA post of Kasindi-Lubiriha, head of the House of Lwanzo is actively wanted by the security services joint operations between the Ugandan and Congolese army in the area. The latter is accused of being one of the major financiers of the terrorist activities of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) in this part of the country.
The joint security forces under Operation Shujaa are looking for a former customs official and the DGDA of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) linked to the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) terrorist group and allegedly financed their activities.Major Bilal Katamba, spokesman for the Mountain Division/Operation of the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF), confirmed on Sunday that they, together with the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC), were looking for Philippe Vambe Kyakimwa.
« We are suing him after the intelligence services proved that he was offering logistical support to the terrorists using his company Maison Lwanzo located 1 km from the Uganda Boarder. He was also angry at our peace efforts in the eastern part of the DRC, including the joint road-building project between the DRC and Uganda. Vambe is currently on the run after jumping bail after being indicted in Beni court by the FARDC for supporting and assisting the ADF and was released on bail for access to medical treatment, » Major Katamba told New Vision.
He was reportedly sacked as a customs officer after his arrest in 2022. Joint security sources from the FARDC and UPDF noted that Vambe was receiving treatment in Uganda and that some of his family members were residing in Kampala.
The decision to track him down follows a meeting between joint forces under Operation Shujaa, operating in North Kivu province under Rwenzori and Beni Axis on Friday after it emerged that he had deliberately refused to release road equipment under his yard and demanded a ransom.
The road project is entrusted to Dott Services by the Joint Government of Uganda and the DRC for the construction of 233 km of roads between Kasindi and Beni and Butembo.
« It was frustrating the road project, used its position as customs verification officer to thwart the implementation of the project, especially in the context of the existing tax exemptions that were signed between the two countries, » noted security sources.
Sources also noted that Vambe categorically refused to release road equipment for the construction of community and security roads in order to allow joint forces to also conduct operations against the ADF.Security sources noted that the ADF, through their agents, own buildings and businesses in urban centers in eastern DRC in cities like Butembo, Beni and Oicha and the city of Kasindi were not exceptional.
« We strongly suspect that the parking lot where Dott services facilities are illegally detained under the direction of Kyakimwa Vambe Phillipe could belong to ADF since they had penetrated DRC customs using it, » the sources noted.
Intelligence sources noted that the act of sabotage by Vambe phillipe had delayed work between Beni and the Butembo road. » All documents intended to establish two major camps in Butembo and Kabasha respectively are in his custody. This is an act of sabotage and entails a lot of project costs in terms of implementing the project over time, as stipulated in the contractual agreement, » the source said.
The source also noted that they were investigating allegations that Vambe used his position as a customs officer and diverted the project’s equipment from contract storage to his own court, which was a clear case of conflict of interest.
He is also linked to an attack on October 27, 2023 near his link where alleged ADF rebels raided the Dott service camp in Kasindi, DRC, killing two UPDF guards, a Somali driver and another adult. An ADF terrorist was put out of action.Three vehicles, including a Landcruiser, a TMK-owned leaf rack and a trailer that were in a garage about 100 meters from the camp were burned. The scene of the incident is about 5 km from the Mpondwe border and sources say they linked the attack to Kyakinwa and was allegedly carried out to undermine.
the attack.