DRC : driven from Uvira after deadly protests, General Gasita returns to command

SOS Médias Burundi

Uvira, August 26, 2026 — Brigadier General Olivier Gasita has returned to eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. After being recalled to Kinshasa, the DRC capital, following violent protests in Uvira in 2025, the officer arrived in Lubumbashi, the capital of Haut-Katanga province in the far southeast of the DRC, on Saturday, August 22. He has been appointed to serve as head of intelligence for the 2nd Defense Zone of the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC).

Brigadier General Olivier Gasita arrived in Lubumbashi with his superior, Major General Ngoie Kilubi Bob. In his new role, he will be responsible for military intelligence matters within the 2nd Defense Zone, which covers several provinces.

This new posting marks his return to the east of the country, less than a year after the events that led to his departure from Uvira, in South Kivu.

Deadly protests in Uvira

Brigadier General Olivier Gasita was assigned to Uvira in early September 2025 as head of operations and military intelligence for the 33rd Military Region.

His presence quickly sparked strong opposition among certain segments of the population and the civil society.

On September 8, 2025, members of the civil society, supported by Wazalendo—local armed groups backed by the Congolese authorities—organized a demonstration demanding his removal.

After gathering in front of the town hall and submitting a memorandum, some of the protesters headed toward the FARDC headquarters in the Sokola 2 operational sector. The situation then escalated.

Civilian sources reported at least five deaths and around twenty injuries. The FARDC, for their part, acknowledged the death of a 12-year-old child, struck by a stray bullet, and reported nine injuries, including four soldiers and five civilians.

The army accused some of the protesters of attempting to force their way into the military base.

His background at the heart of the protests

Brigadier General Gasita, of Banyamulenge origin, a Congolese Tutsi community, was accused by his detractors of being close to Rwanda and of maintaining alleged ties with the M23.

Some protesters also accused him of playing a role in the fall of Bukavu, which had then fallen under the control of the rebel movement.

These accusations, however, were not supported by evidence.

During the demonstrations, some protesters explicitly expressed their rejection of a Tutsi officer leading military operations in this border area.

The protests thus unfolded against a backdrop of high community tensions, marked in particular by violence and hate speech targeting the Banyamulenge community.

Uvira, at the heart of regional issues

The crisis surrounding General Gasita occurred as Uvira occupied an increasingly strategic position in the war raging in eastern DRC.

Located a few kilometers from Bujumbura, Burundi’s commercial capital, the city had become a refuge for several Congolese officials after the fall of Bukavu. It also constitutes an important commercial hub and a strategic transit point for Burundi’s fuel supply.

At that time, Uvira was paralyzed by a general strike. Schools, markets, banks, and transportation were all affected by the tensions.

The city was also at the heart of the regional counter-offensive against the M23, as Burundi had deployed troops to eastern DRC to support the FARDC and their allies.

Recalled to Kinshasa

Faced with escalating tensions in Uvira, Brigadier General Olivier Gasita was finally recalled to Kinshasa, the capital of the DRC, in October 2025.

A few months later, in December 2025, Uvira had fallen under the control of the M23, according to reports at the time.

However, the officer’s departure did not put an end to the controversies surrounding his career and his role in the Congolese security apparatus.

Return to a strategic post

Nearly a year after leaving Uvira, Olivier Gasita has returned to eastern DRC, but with a new responsibility.

Arriving in Lubumbashi on Saturday, August 22, he is now in charge of intelligence within the 2nd Defense Zone of the FARDC (Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo), alongside Major General Ngoie Kilubi Bob. This zone covers several provinces and constitutes an important military coordination mechanism.

This new role places him at the heart of the Congolese security apparatus, in a context where the line between the national army, allied armed groups, and security policy remains particularly blurred.

In Uvira, his new assignment is already generating reactions. Some residents now regret the demonstrations that led to his departure, believing that his rejection was largely motivated by his community affiliation rather than by an assessment of his military skills.

The return of Brigadier General Gasita has reignited the debate on community considerations in military appointments, as eastern DRC remains marked by war, identity tensions, and regional rivalries.