Uvira : a high-level government delegation faces a bloody protest against General Gasita

SOS Médias Burundi

Bukavu, September 12, 2025 — A large delegation from the Congolese government, led by the Deputy Prime Minister for Security, Territorial Administration, and Customary Affairs, Jacquemain Shabani Lukoo, arrived in Uvira on Thursday. The mission aims to restore calm and strengthen state authority in this border region shaken by deadly violence linked to the protest against General Olivier Gasita.

Jacquemain Shabani Lukoo arrived escorted by Burundian and Congolese soldiers. The delegation was welcomed by the Governor of South Kivu, Jean Jacques Purusi, surrounded by local political and military authorities, representatives of the Wazalendo militia, and the population. Upon his arrival, the Deputy Prime Minister chaired an expanded security meeting to assess the situation.

But this visit took place in an explosive atmosphere, marked by open opposition to General Olivier Gasita.

A meeting limited to the Wazalendo

While the Deputy Prime Minister did hold a security meeting, he met only with representatives of the Wazalendo militias, supported by Kinshasa. However, he was also scheduled to meet with leaders of local communities and tribes, religious denominations, and representatives of the civil society.

The latter expressed disappointment. However, some sources close to the mission stated that he could meet with them on Saturday.

For Onesphore Sematumba, senior analyst at the International Crisis Group for the Great Lakes region, the situation illustrates a worrying trend :

“We are now in a lawless situation where the militias are imposing terror and demanding the ethnic cleansing of their city. “That is to say, the state, or what remained of it, no longer exists because there is no force that can oppose the will of the all-powerful Wazalendo,” he explains.

He adds :

“It’s a bad idea to continue outsourcing one’s authority and security. Outsourcing the security of one’s population has never been the solution. It creates other problems, often more serious ones, as is the case with the Wazalendo.”

5 dead in a protest against Gasita

On September 8, a demonstration against the appointment of General Gasita turned violent. According to civilian sources, at least five people were killed and around twenty injured when the FARDC (Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo) fired live ammunition to disperse the protesters. The armed forces, for their part, reported only one death—a 12-year-old child—and nine wounded, including four soldiers.

The protesters, mainly from the Kavimvira and Kalundu neighborhoods, had submitted a memorandum to the authorities before the situation escalated in front of the FARDC headquarters.

Why Gasita is contested

Arriving in Uvira on September 1, General Olivier Gasita, of the Banyamulenge origin, was appointed head of operations and military intelligence within the 33rd military region. His presence is rejected for several reasons :

Accusations of closeness to Rwanda and the M23, which he allegedly supported in the east of the country.

Suspicions of involvement in the fall of Bukavu, which fell to the M23 earlier this year.

Ethnic mistrust : Some residents reject the idea of ​​a Tutsi command in an already fragile border area.

These accusations, although unproven, are fueling a wave of anger and community tensions.

Uvira paralyzed, ethnic violence on the rise

Since September 2, Uvira has been hit by a general strike. Schools, markets, banks, and transportation have been shut down. The city lives in fear, with explosions and gunfire every night. A 5-year-old child was killed in an explosion on September 6.

The Banyamulenge, the community to which General Gasita belongs, are particularly targeted : women are beaten, access to water is denied, and Banyamulenge soldiers and police officers are kidnapped. The community’s Mutual Fund (Mutualité) has denounced a “hate campaign” fueled by xenophobic rhetoric.

The role of Burundi and the Wazalendo

General Gasita is currently living in seclusion in a hotel in Uvira, under the protection of the FARDC and Burundian soldiers. Approximately 10,000 Burundian soldiers are deployed in eastern DRC to support Kinshasa in its fight against the M23 and other rebel groups.

The Wazalendo militias, supported by the Congolese authorities, are also participating in the mobilization against him, accentuating the paradox of a commander rejected even though allied forces are ensuring his safety.

A regional flashpoint

The Uvira crisis illustrates the fragility of South Kivu, now a strategic center following the fall of Bukavu. Located a few kilometers from Bujumbura, Burundi’s commercial capital, the city is a vital crossroads, particularly for fuel supplies to the neighboring country.

President Félix Tshisekedi has attempted to call for calm and a distinction between the Rwandophone population and the Kigali regime, but these messages have struggled to be heard.

The M23, regional context

The M23 is a former Tutsi rebel group that took up arms again in late 2021, accusing the Congolese authorities of not having respected their commitments regarding the reintegration of its fighters. The Congolese authorities accuse Rwanda of supporting this armed group as well as the politico-military movement to which it is affiliated, the Congo River Alliance (AFC), but Kigali systematically rejects these allegations. Since the beginning of the year, the M23 has now controlled the capitals of the provinces of North Kivu and South Kivu as well as several other strategic areas rich in minerals.