The recent heated debate surrounding the identity of the Banyamulenge community has brought to the surface a question that every Congolese must answer: who are we? It is a simple question, but the answer carries profound implications for the future of Congo.
How we see ourselves determines what we fight for. Take the AFC/M23 and MRDP-Twirwaneho alliance, for instance. If it views itself as Congolese, then its mission will be to liberate all of Congo. If it sees itself as part of a larger community called Baswahili, then its struggle will be limited to territories where Baswahili live. The narrower the definition of self, the narrower the aims of the liberation war become.
This question goes beyond the Banyamulenge. It is a question for every Congolese who dreams of a different future.
This is not to deny the discrimination and violence meted out on the Banyamulenge, Congolese Tutsi, or Baswahili communities. It is, however, a necessary counterweight to the tribalist logic that has for too long defined Congolese politics.
The Tshisekedi regime is, at its core, a tribalistic regime. It views Congo first as family property, a dining table where a select few Luba and every corrupt politician with some level of influence are invited, while everyone else is excluded. To protect that cabal and preserve its right to feast at the table, the regime has weaponized ethnic identity. It has used Congolese Tutsi communities as scapegoats for its inability to govern, distribute wealth, or provide security for all. For years, this strategy has worked, but the cracks are now showing.
The liberation movement must offer an alternative vision, one that projects Congo as a united nation that is still possible. Corneille Nangaa and General Sultani Makenga have offered that inclusive vision. They have rejected the narrow ethnic calculus that has kept the country divided and impoverished for decades. Under their leadership, the idea that Congolese identity is defined by tribe, language, or region has been rejected.
But here lies the challenge. If the vision of national unity promoted by the liberation movement is not embraced by all Congolese, then we will have to confront a more difficult reality: the need to reimagine a new country, with new national communities and precise territorial boundaries. This is not a call for secession; it is a call for honesty.
The question is not whether Congo can be saved. The question is whether we are willing to redefine what it means to be Congolese. The path to liberation begins with that question, and it must be answered by all of us, not just the Banyamulenge, not just the AFC/M23, but every Congolese who believes that a different future is possible.
Who are you? The answer will shape the future of Congo. Choose wisely.