The DRC’s Crisis Is Primarily Internal – Corneille Nangaa

Corneille Nangaa, political coordinator of the Alliance Fleuve Congo (AFC) and an ally of the M23, shared his perspective on the ongoing conflict in the Kivu region in an interview with Le Soir. Speaking from Goma’s Serena Hotel on February 9, 2025, the former president of the Independent Electoral Commission—who oversaw the controversial 2018 elections that brought Félix Tshisekedi to power—emphasized that the crisis is primarily internal. Nangaa dismissed the recent Dar es Salaam summit on the Congo crisis as ineffective, arguing that Kinshasa ignores key recommendations. He attributed th

Corneille Nangaa, political coordinator of the Alliance Fleuve Congo (AFC) and an ally of the M23, shared his perspective on the ongoing conflict in the Kivu region in an interview with Le Soir. Speaking from Goma’s Serena Hotel on February 9, 2025, the former president of the Independent Electoral Commission—who oversaw the controversial 2018 elections that brought Félix Tshisekedi to power—emphasized that the crisis is primarily internal. Nangaa dismissed the recent Dar es Salaam summit on the Congo crisis as ineffective, arguing that Kinshasa ignores key recommendations. He attributed the instability in eastern DRC to three main factors: the absence of a functioning state, political mismanagement, and ethnic discrimination. This vacuum, he claimed, allows armed groups such as the Maï-Maï, ADF, and FDLR to operate freely, while Kinshasa-backed militias, including "Wazalendo," further complicate the conflict. Nangaa accused Tshisekedi of being an illegitimate leader, alleging election fraud, political repression, and corruption. He claimed that key opposition figures, including Joseph Kabila and Moïse Katumbi, have been forced into exile, while many others remain imprisoned. He also denounced Tshisekedi’s government for nepotism and the mismanagement of the country’s mineral resources. Defending his alliance with the M23, Nangaa cited his own persecution by the Tshisekedi regime. He argued that the M23 initially sought dialogue but was betrayed, leading to its renewed armed struggle. While Kinshasa accuses Rwanda of backing the M23, Nangaa dismissed these claims, asserting that the AFC/M23 movement is a Congolese initiative. He further alleged that Tshisekedi has supported the FDLR, a group implicated in the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda. Although internationally recognized as a terrorist organization, the FDLR continues to operate in the DRC and now collaborates with the Congolese army (FARDC) against the M23. According to Nangaa, the AFC, established in December 2023, has rapidly gained nationwide support, with recruits from various provinces. He rejected claims that the M23 is solely a Kinyarwanda-speaking movement, emphasizing that the AFC/M23 includes members from across the country.