The governor of North Kivu province in eastern DR Congo says the AFC/M23 administration has achieved in less than a year what President Felix Tshisekedi failed to deliver in eight years in power. Erasto Bahati Musanga has noted key improvements in security, basic services, and local governance in the areas under the control of the rebel movement. ALSO READ: Goma: One year on after AFC/M23 takeover Bahati made the remarks during an interview with American scholar and Great Lakes conflict researcher Bojana Coulibaly, reflecting on developments in AFC/M23-administered areas since the movement took control of the provincial capital Goma on January 27 last year. ALSO READ: AFC/M23 leader Corneille Nangaa states four reasons why his movement is fighting Tshisekedi govt “Tshisekedi has never done this. What we have done in less than year Tshisekedi could no have done it in eight years he has been in power,” Bahati said in the interview published on Thursday, February 5. He said the AFC/M23-appointed administration’s first priority was restoring order in a city that was overwhelmed by armed groups and insecurity when they arrived. He said Goma was plagued by daily killings, unruly militias, and an abundance of weapons. “The first thing we did was to collect all the weapons here in Goma and to comfort the people as they had suffered a lot,” Bahati said. He added that arms collection is ongoing, with security teams recovering firearms on a daily basis. He argued that these efforts have paid off, with relative security having returned to Goma. “People can see it themselves,” Bahati said, adding that locals openly acknowledge the change in security conditions compared to the past. ALSO READ: Goma’s streets, markets, and people one year under AFC/M23 The governor, who was appointed in February 2025, said access to essential services such as water and electricity was another urgent challenge. He recalled that large parts of the city had been without reliable supply, while costs for those connected were high. “The second thing was to restore water and electricity supply,” he said, adding that utility tariffs were reduced to ease pressure on households already struggling with a high cost of living and limited access to cash. He further cited the extension of water supply in Kibumba, a densely populated town in Nyaragongo territory as a symbolic achievement. “We have connected the water supply to Kibumba, it's something that had never occurred since the existence of this town. The people there had never seen drinking water,” he said, describing it as a historic change for the community. The governor blamed the financial strain on Kinshasa's closure of banking services in Goma, which he described as a form of collective punishment against civilians. He said that, following the capture of Goma, residents were cut off from their savings, prompting the new administration to establish a local financial institution. “We reopened access to banking services through CADECO, allowing people to withdraw money and access credit,” he said, arguing that this intervention helped stabilize daily economic life. ALSO READ: DR Congo: A look back at major events after the fall of Goma Bahati also highlighted broader economic reforms, particularly the dismantling of an exploitative system of roadblocks and illegal taxation. Bahati said that the administration reviewed the tax regime and scrapped hundreds of levies. “Out of more than 500 taxes, we have already removed about 300,” he said, adding that the remaining ones would be consolidated into a single window system. ALSO READ: Timeline of events before and after M23 entered Goma On humanitarian issues, the governor said the return of internally displaced persons (IDPs) to their homes was a major turning point. He explained that, after consultations, displaced families were encouraged to go back to their villages, with a dedicated commission set up to oversee their reintegration. “There aer no more IDP camps here and people returned to their homess,” he said, adding that NGOs were supported to deliver aid directly to villages rather than maintaining long-term displacement around Goma. ALSO READ: AFC/M23 say they will not withdraw from Goma, Bukavu Bahati also pointed to investments in public infrastructure, including health facilities and detention centres. He said the central prison in Goma, which had been burned before their arrival, has since been renovated and reconnected to water and electricity, with access granted to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to monitor conditions. Road rehabilitation is also ongoing, he added, alongside the construction of drainage systems and water mains across different localities. ALSO READ: Twelve months after Goma’s fall, peace efforts still limp The governor insisted that popular support reflects these changes, recalling recent demonstrations in several towns after international calls for AFC/M23 to withdraw from Uvira in South Kivu. He said residents protested the withdrawal because they feared losing the security and stability they now experience. “People protested everywhere, they protested because they didn't want us to leave Uvira,” he said, citing protests in Rutshuru, Rubaya, Bukavu, Kitchanga and Uvira as evidence of public support. Arguing that the movement is revolutionary, Bahati said criticism is welcome and accountability is part of their approach. “We are revolutionaries, we are here to listen to the needs of everybody, we don't fight against criticism, we fight for change,” he said, adding “our actions prove and will prove that we fight for change.” Looking ahead, he expressed confidence that continued governance under the current system would further transform the region. “Let us meet again in January 2027,” he said, “you will see that what we will have accomplished will be a miracle.”
