By Dennis Weche
The streets of Congo’s capital, Kinshasa, were plunged into chaos today as protesters, pushed to the brink by years of suffering and disillusionment, clashed violently with police forces. Anger reached a boiling point over the M23 rebel group’s recent capture of Goma, a strategically significant city in eastern Congo, which had long served as a critical lifeline for millions of people. The protesters targeted foreign embassies, accusing Rwanda, France, and the United States of complicity in the ongoing conflict, their cries of fury reverberating through the city.
On January 27, 2025, M23 rebels, long accused of receiving support from Rwanda, seized Goma, marking a significant and perilous escalation in the war. The rebels swiftly captured key locations in the city, including its airport, severing crucial humanitarian supply routes and trapping thousands of civilians who had already been displaced by ongoing violence. For many, Goma had been a beacon of both hope and despair—its fall has sent shockwaves across the nation.
In Kinshasa, protests escalated rapidly, with demonstrators setting the French embassy ablaze and ransacking it in a dramatic expression of outrage. Other embassies, including those of the United States, Rwanda, Uganda, and Kenya, were targeted as part of a broader outcry. Many Congolese view these nations as either complicit in the conflict or negligent in addressing the suffering of their people. The scene was one of violent unrest, with protesters clashing with police who responded with tear gas to disperse the crowds. “They are killing us, and the world watches,” one protester shouted, as the air filled with smoke and tension ran high.
The violence in Kinshasa mirrored the brutality unfolding in Goma, where hospitals are overwhelmed with casualties, and reports of looting and gender-based violence continue to emerge. The city’s infrastructure has been ravaged, and with it, any hope for a quick recovery. The advance of M23 forces has thrown the region into greater turmoil, with no clear end in sight.
President Félix Tshisekedi is now facing immense pressure. Critics have accused his government of failing to protect the eastern provinces from both the rebels and regional interference. International calls for a ceasefire and renewed peace talks are growing, but the mistrust between the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Rwanda, and other neighboring nations remains deeply entrenched. While Rwanda denies any direct involvement in the M23 rebellion, accusations persist, fueling ongoing animosity.
The United Nations and various international bodies have condemned the escalation of violence, but the path to peace remains uncertain.
As the situation continues to deteriorate, the people of Congo are left grappling with the aftermath of decades of conflict, while the international community watches, caught in a web of political interests and strategic alliances.
As night fell in Kinshasa, the flames in the streets began to die down, but the tension remained palpable. The protests were not merely about the fall of Goma—they were a cry for justice and an expression of years of pain, neglect, and frustration. The anger that fueled the fires in Kinshasa, like the embers of those burning tires, is unlikely to fade anytime soon. The long road to peace and reconciliation in the DRC is as uncertain as it has ever been.
The M23, named after the March 23, 2009, peace agreement, is a rebel group composed primarily of ethnic Tutsi fighters from the DRC’s eastern provinces. Since its formation, the group has been accused of having ties to Rwanda, a claim Kigali denies. The ongoing conflict has been fueled by competition over mineral resources, ethnic tensions, and the spillover from regional conflicts involving Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi.
The capture of Goma represents a significant shift in the region’s balance of power, exacerbating an already volatile situation. Goma, a key gateway for humanitarian aid and a hub for various international organizations, had long been a focal point of DRC’s eastern conflict. The seizure of this city, coupled with the violent protests in Kinshasa, highlights the growing frustration of Congolese citizens who feel abandoned by both their own government and the international community.
As the international community calls for an end to the violence, the reality on the ground remains grim. The conflict is not only a regional issue but also a reflection of broader geopolitical rivalries, with the DRC caught in the crossfire of foreign interests, ethnic divisions, and longstanding grievances.
