People in Kinshasa protest against Rwanda and the crisis in the eastern DRC
3 min readAnti-Rwandan protests erupted in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), on Tuesday, amid ongoing clashes between rebel groups and government forces in the eastern city of Goma. Despite being thousands of kilometers away from the frontline, demonstrators in Kinshasa showed their support for President Felix Tshisekedi and voiced their outrage over the situation in Goma. Protesters, waving Congolese flags, burned tires and blocked roads to express their anger, as tensions between the DRC and Rwanda escalated.
The DRC, along with several foreign governments, has accused Rwandan forces of being present in the country and supporting the M23 rebel group, which claims to have taken control of Goma. The M23 rebellion is not new; the group briefly captured Goma in 2012 during an unsuccessful insurgency against the Congolese government. After a brief hiatus, the group launched another offensive in 2022 and has since been fighting to gain control of strategic areas in eastern DRC.
Jeanine Ngalula, a protester in Kinshasa, voiced her anger by directly addressing Rwandan President Paul Kagame. “If Kagame arrives here in Kinshasa and takes the place of President Tshisekedi, he will not be able to govern. Congo is our country, the land of our ancestors,” Ngalula said. Her remarks reflect the deep sense of national pride and frustration felt by many Congolese citizens, who view Rwanda’s involvement as a foreign intervention that threatens their sovereignty.
Another protester, Eric Boyololo, expressed a growing frustration with calls for dialogue between the DRC and Rwanda. “No more conversation, we have to fight. We can’t do any more dialogue in this country. We are proud to stand up and fight the enemy,” Boyololo said, reinforcing the sentiment among many that direct action, rather than diplomacy, is the way forward. The protests in Kinshasa were a direct response to the ongoing violence in the east, where the M23 rebels continue to clash with DRC forces.
Meanwhile, residents of Goma, a city with a population of approximately two million, reported hearing gunfire and explosions overnight. The rebels claimed to have seized control of the city, and the Goma airport has been shut down amid the fighting. Goma, which serves as a crucial trade and humanitarian hub in the region, holds a strategic significance for both the DRC and its neighbors. It is home to hundreds of thousands of people displaced by the conflict, contributing to the over six million displaced individuals in the eastern DRC.
On social media, Rwandan President Paul Kagame addressed the ongoing situation, stating that he had spoken with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and agreed on the need for a ceasefire. However, Kagame did not indicate that he would heed calls for the withdrawal of Rwandan forces from Goma. This lack of commitment to a resolution has only intensified the frustration among the protesters in Kinshasa, as they demand action and a firm stance against Rwanda’s involvement in the conflict.
The situation in the eastern DRC is complex, with multiple armed groups vying for control of the region, which is rich in minerals and resources. The M23 is just one of nearly 100 rebel factions operating in the area, each with varying levels of support and influence. Despite their claims of controlling Goma, it remains unclear how much of the city the M23 actually controls, as the fighting continues to evolve. The conflict has exacerbated the humanitarian crisis in the region, further straining the already fragile situation.
The ongoing violence in Goma and the broader eastern DRC highlights the deep-rooted instability that has plagued the region for decades. While the protests in Kinshasa show a unified stance against foreign interference and support for President Tshisekedi, the situation on the ground remains volatile. With no clear resolution in sight, the DRC faces significant challenges in achieving peace and stability in its eastern provinces.
Source: African News Agency
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