In a big blow to Tshisekedi some of its allied armed groups break away to join M23

Over the weekend, the political bureau of the Common Front of the Resistance (CFR)—whose military wing formerly allied to Wazalendo/FARDC and operated in both Kivus—announced that it has voluntarily joined AFC/M23, citing several reasons for the breakaway.

In a video statement, the party leader Colonel Augustin Darwin condemned Tshisekedi’s bad governance, broken promises, and mismanagement. He highlighted disunity within FARDC, continuous human rights violations, lack of support for troops, and ongoing chaos in eastern DRC as key factors behind the decision.

Accusing FARDC generals of treason, Darwin declared FARDC as the primary enemy of the DRC, announced their disassociation and demanded FARDC’s withdrawal from previously shared territories.

Colonel Darwin further stated that the fusion with AFC/M23 is driven by a common goal, the one of establishing good governance, fighting corruption and restoring Congolese dignity. He also called on other armed groups mistreated by the Tshisekedi regime to follow their lead.

The CFR’s dissociation from the unprofessional FARDC aligns with what M23 has been advocating for since 2021, when they took up arms and regained the battlefront.

The so-called “patriotic youth military group” or commonly referred to as ‘Wazalendo’ have come to realize that the version of patriotism promoted by Kinshasa is far from reality. True patriotism cannot mean blind loyalty to a ruler who steals and kills.

For many Congolese who have now awakened to Tshisekedi’s illegitimacy and poor governance, it remains baffling why some Western countries continue to support and enable his crumbling regime.

Even more alarming is the vast amount of public funds Tshisekedi has squandered in the name of financing these armed groups. While much of it amounted to empty promises, as CFR’s commander pointed out, the rest has done nothing to help either the Congolese people or Tshisekedi’s regime restore peace and security in the region.

It is only a matter of time before the world witnesses the complete downfall of Tshisekedi’s regime, along with his incompetent and unprofessional army (FARDC), paving the way for true patriots in M23.