Kenya Insights

Tag: Goma

  • Kabila Returns To Congo

    Kabila Returns To Congo

    On Friday, April 18, former DR Congo President Joseph Kabila reportedly arrived in Goma, fulfilling his promise to return to the country after six years of silence and exile.

    In early March, President Kabila announced the suspension of his studies in South Africa to address the escalating crisis in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.

    The conflict, which has been ongoing for over three years, involves a government coalition engaged in a protracted struggle against the AFC/M23 rebels in eastern DR Congo. The rebels now control the strategic cities of Goma and Bukavu.

    Kabila, whose family has accused the Congolese government of abuses, is expected to address the nation from the rebel-controlled capital of North Kivu province, RFI reported on Friday, citing sources close to the former president.

    The immediate former president has previously accused his successor Felix Tshisekedi of mismanaging the security crisis and of bringing the vast country “close to imploding.”

    Tshisekedi has previously accused Kabila of being behind the AFC/M23 rebels.

    The residence of the former president in Kinshasa have recently been searched by security agencies, which his wife Marie Olive Lembe accused of “persecution.” She was quoted by RFI, saying the agencies “came looking for weapons.” “Generators, solar panels, vehicles… They took everything!”

    The French radio said a seizure report by the military police confirmed the confiscation of several vehicles, batteries, generators, and a batch of solar equipment.

    Kabila, who was based in South Africa and Zimbabwe, told Jeune Afrique on April 8 that he would be returning after having met with various presidents and former presidents in the region as well as Congolese politicians. He had said he would return to his country through the eastern part, which has been volatile for three decades.

    “I decided to start with the eastern part, because there is danger there,” he told the French publication.

    Kabila has recently voiced concern over the ongoing instability in DR Congo, emphasizing the importance of internal solutions to national problems.

     

    He has emphasised that the conflict with the rebels, whom Tshisekedi alleges get support from Rwanda, can only be resolved by dialogue within the Congolese people.

    He criticized Tshisekedi’s tendency to blame foreign actors for the crisis and outsourcing security by hiring European mercenaries and using foreign armies. He urges Congolese leaders and citizens to take responsibility in resolving the crisis.

    Kabila left office in 2019 and had remained silent until February this year. Tshisekedi has accused Kabila of being behind the Alliance Fleuve Congo (AFC) that is led by Corneille Nangaa, DR Congo’s former electoral chief. Kabila dismissed allegation in March saying that the conflict would be different if he was personally involved.

    The conflict in eastern DR Congo escalated in January after the AFC/M23 rebels took control of Goma, the capital of North Kivu province, before seizing Bukavu the capital of South Kivu in mid-February.

    Since the beginning of 2025, the rebel alliance, which includes the M23 rebels, has gained more Congolese support, with a growing number of political leaders and businesspeople joining its cause.

    Government soldiers and police forces, as well as a number of armed groups have joined the ranks of the rebels, who fight for the protection of Congolese Tutsi communities who have suffered decades of ethnic violence.

    The AFC/M23 rebels also condemn widespread corruption and bad governance, which have rendered the mineral-rich country ungovernable.

    The Congolese government and the rebels held direct talks in Doha, Qatar on April 10, the first of its kind since the M23 rebellion resurfaced in late 2021 after nearly a decade of hibernation.

  • ‪Chaos in Congo: M23 Rebels Capture Goma, A Strategic City In Eastern DRC‬

    ‪Chaos in Congo: M23 Rebels Capture Goma, A Strategic City In Eastern DRC‬

    In a dramatic escalation of one of Africa’s longest-running conflicts, M23 rebels claimed control of Goma, the largest city in eastern Congo, early Monday.

    “We urge all residents of Goma to remain calm. The liberation of the city has been successfully carried out, and the situation is under control,” said the group in their Monday’s communique.

    The capture of this strategic hub has sent shockwaves through the region, with the United Nations reporting “mass panic” among its 2 million residents and Congo’s government declaring the rebel advance a “declaration of war.”

    The Fall of Goma

    The M23 rebels announced their capture of Goma just minutes before a 48-hour ultimatum for the Congolese army to surrender expired. In a statement, the group urged residents to remain calm and called on Congolese soldiers to assemble at the city’s central stadium. This bold move marks a significant shift in the ongoing conflict, which has already displaced over a third of the population in North Kivu province, where Goma is located.

    The city’s fall threatens to exacerbate an already dire humanitarian crisis. According to UN reports, the region is home to millions of displaced civilians, many of whom are now fleeing once again as the rebels advance. Late Sunday night, UN peacekeepers began processing surrendering Congolese soldiers on the outskirts of the city, while the Uruguayan army, part of the UN mission, reported that over a hundred soldiers had laid down their weapons.

    A Region in Turmoil

    The M23’s recent territorial gains along Congo’s border with Rwanda have reignited tensions in the mineral-rich region. Despite Rwanda’s denials, Congo, the United States, and UN experts accuse Rwanda of backing the rebels, who are primarily ethnic Tutsis that broke away from the Congolese army over a decade ago. Rwanda has acknowledged deploying troops to eastern Congo for security reasons but denies direct support for M23.

    Congo’s government has responded by severing diplomatic ties with Rwanda, pulling all diplomatic staff from the country. Rwandan Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe called the move unilateral, stating that Rwanda had evacuated its remaining diplomat from Kinshasa due to safety concerns.

    Humanitarian Crisis Deepens

    The capture of Goma has left the city’s residents in a state of fear and uncertainty. Heavy gunfire echoed across the city on Sunday, prompting scores of civilians to flee. Many sought refuge in Rwanda, while others expressed despair over the lack of safe havens. “I heard that there are bombs in Goma, too, so now we don’t know where to go,” said Adèle Shimiye, a displaced resident.

    The UN has warned that the situation could deteriorate further if hostilities spill into Goma, a densely populated urban center. UN deputy humanitarian chief Joyce Msuya emphasized the potential for devastating civilian casualties, urging immediate action to de-escalate the conflict.

    International Response

    The United Nations Security Council held an emergency meeting late Sunday, where UN special representative Bintou Keita described the dire situation. She reported that M23 fighters were advancing into Goma’s outskirts, using residents as human shields and causing mass panic. Keita also noted that the rebels had declared the airspace over Goma closed, effectively trapping UN personnel and civilians.

    The United States and France have called for an immediate ceasefire and urged Rwanda to withdraw its support for M23. Acting US Ambassador Dorothy Shea warned that the US would “consider all the tools at its disposal” to hold those responsible for the conflict accountable.

    A History of Conflict

    This is not the first time Goma has fallen to M23. The rebels captured the city in 2012 but withdrew under international pressure. Since then, Congo’s government, supported by UN peacekeepers and regional forces, has managed to keep the rebels at bay. However, the recent surge in violence, which has claimed the lives of at least 13 peacekeepers in the past week, underscores the fragility of the region’s security.

    What’s Next?

    As the conflict intensifies, the international community faces mounting pressure to intervene. The capture of Goma represents a significant setback for peace efforts in the region and highlights the urgent need for a coordinated response to address the root causes of the conflict.

    For now, the people of Goma remain caught in the crossfire, their lives upended by a war that shows no signs of abating. As one resident, Bahati Jackson, put it: “If we’re going to die, it’s better to die here.”