Kinshasa, January 21st, 2026 (CPA). – The international community has been called upon to sanction Rwanda for ‘deporting under threat of death’ on Sunday the Banyamulenge from Uvira to Kamanyola (South Kivu), in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), according to Kamanzi Kibibi, a notable member of this community and honorary deputy minister approached on Wednesday by the CPA.
‘The withdrawal of Rwandan troops and their M23-AFC auxiliaries from the town of Uvira was marked not only by acts of looting but also by the deportation of a group of people belonging to the Banyamulenge community, citing reasons of insecurity to which they were allegedly victims on the part of other local communities,’ insisted the former member of the South Kivu government and president of the political party ‘Convention of Patriotic Nationalists for an Emerging Congo’ (CNPCE). This theory, put forward and supported by the Rwandan army and M23-AFC coalition, was rejected by Mr Kamanzi. ‘Before withdrawing from the town of Uvira, the Rwandan army threatened the Banyamulenge with death if they did not join them, making them believe that if they stayed where they were, they would be killed by the population. Only 31 Banyamulenge families refused to join them,’ he said.
In order not to give in to the ruse of Rwanda, ‘which has always wanted to use the Banyamulenge as a bargaining chip to justify its presence on Congolese soil,’ this native of South Kivu called on the local communities (Bafulero, Bembe) and the government to preach unity in this territory. In view of the abuses committed by Rwandan troops against the civilian population in Uvira, this former member of the provincial government called on the international community to ‘accelerate the implementation of the mechanisms enacted by various international meetings’ to resolve the Congolese crisis.
However, the dignitary praised ‘the country’s active diplomacy implemented by President Félix Tshisekedi, who has had the courage to confront Paul Kagame on several fronts’. ACP/