The Congolese government forces (FARDC), fighting alongside a coalition of other forces, recently intensified their battle against the March 23 Movement (M23) in the eastern DR Congo. In response, the M23, a rebel group that claims to fight for the rights of its people, launched offensive attacks, capturing key towns in North Kivu Province, including Minova and Sake. By Monday, M23 had seized control of Goma, the provincial capital of North Kivu. This development exposed the vulnerability of FARDC, which had allied with the Forces Démocratiques de Libération du Rwanda (FDLR) – a rebel group comprised of perpetrators of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. However, the core issue goes beyond battlefield dynamics. The escalating crisis underscores the failure of leadership in DR Congo to address deep-seated issues, compounded by the shortcomings of regional and international actors. While there is no shortage of leaders who understand the historical roots of the conflict between DR Congo and M23, many have chosen to ignore these realities. Even those unfamiliar with the details seem to prefer apathy over genuine engagement. A glaring issue is the consistent marginalisation of Kinyarwanda-speaking Congolese in eastern DR Congo. President Félix Tshisekedi and other Congolese leaders have often treated this population along ethnic lines, perpetuating discrimination and ignoring their rightful place in the country's social fabric. This denial does not and will never solve the problem. The Kinyarwanda-speaking Congolese cannot be scapegoated for colonial-era border legacies they had no hand in shaping. There have been many attempts to resolve this conflict through the Luanda and the Nairobi processes. Yet, Tshisekedi has turned a blind eye on these processes and instead resorted to deal with allies who has vested interests in his country. As President Paul Kagame remarked to the EAC crisis meeting, while regional leaders have been articulate when it came to stating the problems of DRC, the actions towards resolving these problems have often been in sharp contrast. Leaders must not be manipulated by President Tshisekedi. They must show resolve in genuinely finding lasting solution that works for the people of Congo, not to serve the interests of a few leaders.
