Prudent (Prud) Zihalirwa, a young entrepreneur from the war-torn Democratic Republic of Congo, continues his DR Congo Diary, following on from his earlier blog on our Blog Pages.
He is Youth Ambassador for the Panzi Foundation, promoting social justice in vulnerable communities, and founder and trainer at Afrix Global, an EdTech startup based in Goma. This is his latest diary of living in conflict…
Daily Life Under M23 Occupation in the DRC, Between Fear, Mourning, and Indifference
North Kivu, May 2025: As the world turns its attention to other crises, the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo continues to suffocate in silence.
In Goma, Rutshuru, the hills of Masisi, and the plains of Beni, residents live under the constant shadow of gunfire, creeping insecurity, and crushing institutional abandonment.
Under the occupation of M23/AFC an armed group backed by Rwanda daily life is punctuated by gunfire, disappearances, looting, and pervasive fear
An Occupation That Tramples on Human Dignity
Since the beginning of the year, tragic events have piled up. In March, young photographers Gloire Longosabo and Blaise Marora were abducted in Goma, accused without evidence of “enemy collaboration.” They were eventually released after more than two months of illegal detention bruised, broken, and traumatised. Their testimonies speak of repeated humiliations, torture, and isolation. But how many others remain voiceless, imprisoned in the M23’s invisible cells?
On May 13, a massive cordon operation in Goma led to the arbitrary arrest of hundreds of young people. Officially, they are suspected of links to armed groups. Unofficially, many are simply guilty of being young, poor, and in the wrong place at the wrong time.
A Grim Series of Unpunished Crimes
The violence continues with chilling regularity and near-total impunity:
- May 10: Mr. Shagali Rushingwa, recently married, executed in his home in Ndosho.
- May 12: Mr. Alain, shot dead after trying to break up a dispute in Goma.
- May 15: Double murder in Mugunga targeting a neighborhood chief and a civilian.
- May 25: Over 10 people killed in Kirumba, Rukano, and Kagambi during an M23 incursion.
- May 28: A young money changer publicly shot in Katindo over a financial dispute.
The testimonies are as numerous as they are harrowing. “They beat me in the ribs with a hammer… he died instantly,” recounts a former M23 detainee, still visibly shaken.
Amnesty International Sounds the Alarm
In a report released in May 2025, Amnesty International documented summary executions, torture, arbitrary detentions, and enforced disappearances committed by the M23/AFC.
(Read the report)
Despite this, the international community remains deafeningly silent. No arrest warrants, no urgent investigations, no meaningful pressure on the political backers of this tragedy. Atrocities repeat because they go unpunished.
An Urgent Call for Justice and Peace
The people of eastern Congo are not asking for the impossible. They are asking for life. For dignity.
We echo their plea:
- The immediate release of all civilian hostages held by M23.
- Targeted sanctions against perpetrators and sponsors of atrocities.
- The effective withdrawal of foreign troops and armed groups.
- The establishment of restorative justice, centered on victims and their healing.
Kabila Reemerges Amid the Turmoil
Former President Joseph Kabila broke his long silence on May 23, 2025, addressing the nation with a harsh critique of the current government. He condemned the worsening security situation, the failure of democratic transition, and called for a “sacred union to save the nation.”
On May 25, he arrived in Goma a city under M23 control and on May 29, made his first public appearance, meeting with religious leaders at his Kinyogote farm. While some view this as a potential opportunity for mediation, others see it as a murky political maneuver, especially since the Senate lifted his parliamentary immunity, paving the way for prosecution on charges of war crimes and complicity with M23.
M23/AFC’s Response to Allegations of Human Rights Violations in Goma and Bukavu
Speaker: Bertrand Bisimwa,
Deputy Coordinator for Political, Diplomatic, and Legal Affairs
Location: Serena Hotel, May 30, 2025
During a press conference in Goma, the M23/AFC spokesperson categorically denied all accusations of human rights abuses made by international NGOs, journalists, and local witnesses. According to him, “all those killed during the capture of Goma were combatants,” claiming the exact number was 874.
M23 asserts that the bodies were “respectfully buried” by Red Cross volunteers between February 2 and 14, 2025, in city cemeteries. They deny any mass graves, mass disappearances, or the often-cited figure of over 3,000 deaths advanced by local and international NGOs as well as some elected officials.
Yet, on the ground, another reality emerges: discovered mass graves, families still searching for missing loved ones, and a heavy silence over known massacre sites. Once again, truth becomes a casualty of war’s fog.
Goma and Bukavu in Lockdown
In Goma, all banks have remained closed for several months, paralyzing the local economy and making daily transactions nearly impossible. The Goma airport has been non-operational for over four months, cutting off vital air links for humanitarian aid, business, and civilian travel.
In Bukavu, the situation is not much better flights have been suspended for more than three months, leaving the population in a state of near-total isolation. , all banks have remained closed for several months too.
These extended shutdowns have had devastating effects:
- Dozens of jobs have been lost,
- Many people are no longer able to work,
- Families are struggling to survive,
- And entire sectors from banking to tourism are collapsing in silence.
Civilians are left to fend for themselves in a region already ravaged by war, displacement, and poverty. The deafening silence of both the authorities and the international community regarding the prolonged closure of banks and airports only deepens the suffering and reinforces the sense of abandonment felt by the population.
By Prud Zihalirwa – Prudzihalirwa@gmail.com
Map courtesy of the BBC News Website