Rwandan and Congolese Presidents to Convene Amid Rebel Seizure of Goma, Reports Kenyan Leader

The M23, an armed group notorious for its tumultuous past, takes a somber stroll with the locals down Keshero neighborhood’s bustling streets in Goma. These scenes unfolded on a striking winter’s day — Jan. 27, 2025.

GOMA, CONGO — Amidst whispered rumors and tense anticipation, a seismic diplomatic discussion looms on the horizon. Kenyan President, William Ruto, voiced a pivotal announcement on Monday, heralding a consequential meeting on Wednesday. Both President Paul Kagame of Rwanda and President Félix Tshisekedi of Congo have been coaxed into attending this urgent gathering, an effort to untangle the complex web of conflicts unraveling in eastern Congo. The M23 rebels’ ominous claim of having seized Goma, at the Congo-Rwandan border, adds a layer of urgency to the gathering.

“Never before has this been this crucial; not just for eastern DRC, but the very fabric of our region hangs in the balance,” President Ruto expressed emphatically, his hands slicing the air with each poignant point during the press briefing. In his view, the chaos in eastern DRC demands unified intervention.

With Goma—a city brimming with around 2 million souls—reportedly under the M23’s thumb, a tidal wave of fear and upheaval looms. From a distant corner in Goma, a journalist relayed chaotic scenes over the phone to VOA. He depicted escalating skirmishes near the airport, his report punctuated by the stark crack of gunfire, forcing him to abruptly seek safety.

A tapestry of accusations has been woven, as Congo continues to assert that Rwanda backs the M23 rebels—a claim Kigali hotly contests. On Monday, Congo alleged the presence of Rwandan troops in Goma, though Kigali’s corridors echoed with silence.

With a tweet resonating through X, Congo’s government spokesperson, Patrick Muyaya, underscored a commitment to preserving life over conflict. His voice urged Goma’s residents, “Stay sheltered, resist looting.”

Through the haze of conflict, M23’s spokesman Lawrence Kanyuka proclaimed their control over Goma’s urban sprawl, chalking it up to intense confrontations with the Congolese military.

Panic casts long shadows and drives scores from their homes. Many, already refugees from surrounding strife, find themselves displaced anew.

Somewhere within Mugunga, a sprawling refuge for the displaced near Goma, a surge in arrivals ripples through the camp.

“We fled Sake before, only to be chased away again,” lamented a woman, shrouded in anonymity for safety. Her voice trembled with despair: the absence of food, the lack of shelter, and the creeping uncertainty of tomorrow’s refuge. “Is this truly living?” she pondered aloud.

Amidst the rebels’ grip on Goma, Sake’s fate wavers—an emblem of North Kivu’s turmoil.

Sporadic reports paint a picture of relentless clashes, where M23 confronts the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Armed Forces (FARDC).

In a grave announcement on Friday, General Sylvain Ekenge brought word of North Kivu’s Governor, Major General Peter Cirimwami’s, demise. “Despite every effort in Kinshasa to send him abroad for treatment, he succumbed to his injuries,” General Ekenge recounted somberly on state media.

Humanitarian Crisis Amplified

The clattering chaos exacerbates an already precarious humanitarian tableau. The United Nations cites over 5.5 million wanderers, restless in Congo, with so many seeking solace in North Kivu.

Individuals like Lomoo Biondo Manuel, a figure among the displaced, fervently call for peace. Underlining their struggles, Manuel voiced to VOA’s Swahili Service: “We face numerous hardships. We long for a return to our homes. Let there be peace.”

In the crowded expanse of Mugunga camp, stories overlap—shelter sought within unlikely confines like empty schools and open fields. An echo of pleas rings out—a woman’s voice among many calling, “End this war so we can journey home.”

The M23’s resurgence casts suspicion anew over regional players. A recent rug-pulling report by the United Nations accuses Rwanda of direct involvement with M23, a claim quickly rebuffed by Kigali as unfounded.

This narrative originates from VOA’s Africa Division, with poignant contributions by Al Katanty Sabiti Djaffar from Goma, and insights from English to Africa’s James Butty and French to Africa’s Eddy Isango from Washington.

Report by Axadle Desktop.