Over the weekend, the so-called Congo government army, FARDC, released a communique attacking Twirwaneho, a Banyamulenge self defense group based in Minembwe.
The statement accused the group of making “unfounded allegations” specifically, of exposing the well known collaboration between FARDC, FDLR remnants, and Burundian forces.
This is not just a military dispute. It is part of a wider and more dangerous strategy by President Félix Tshisekedi a strategy aimed at dividing the Banyamulenge, weakening their unity, and pushing them into submission. Tshisekedi knows that a united Banyamulenge community is a strong moral and political force. And that’s precisely what he wants to destroy.
For years, Banyamulenge have faced persecution, displacement and targeted violence. Their villages have been burned, their cattle looted, and their people killed often with the silent complicity of the very state that claims to protect all Congolese. In response, Twirwaneho and other groups emerged, not to invade, but to survive.
Instead of addressing their grievances, Tshisekedi has chosen a more cynical path. He has tried to fracture the community from within. He has used state resources to pay off a handful of opportunists among the Banyamulenge individuals willing to betray their people in exchange for money and cheap promises. Their role is simple: blame Kigali for everything, speak the language of Kinshasa, and pretend the DRC government is suddenly a friend of the Tutsi.
This campaign has largely failed. Most Banyamulenge have rejected the manipulation. They know where the bullets are coming from. They know who funds the militias attacking their villages. And they know who has given safe haven to FDLR elements fleeing M23 advances through Uvira into Burundi, where they have been rearmed and retrained, with the backing of Burundian President Évariste Ndayishimiye.
Together, Tshisekedi and Ndayishimiye have revived the FDLR project: an armed movement whose clear and stated objective is to overthrow the Rwandan government. This is not speculation it is confirmed by the movement of fighters, by testimonies from the ground, and by the silence of the states involved.
As part of this axis, Banyamulenge who refuse to denounce Kigali are now being hunted. Many have been assassinated, others forced to flee once again. These targeted attacks are in clear violation of recent peace agreements signed in Washington and Doha, agreements which committed DRC to de escalation and inclusion.
But Tshisekedi has never been interested in inclusion. His politics thrive on fear, tribalism and confusion. A divided Banyamulenge serves his purpose. A disarmed Banyamulenge clears the way for his alliances with genocidal groups like the FDLR. And a silenced Banyamulenge helps him continue looting the east under the cover of chaos.
Tshisekedi’s project is clear: turn Banyamulenge into enemies of Kigali, break their community, and let the FDLR finish the rest. It’s a dastardly plot that will flop, like all others.
