Uvira : General Daniel Mwaku dies following a sudden illness

SOS Médias Burundi

Uvira, September 12, 2025 — Brigadier General Daniel Mwaku, commander of the 33rd Military Region in the Democratic Republic of Congo, died on Friday in Uvira, following an illness he had been suffering from for some time, the Congolese army announced. According to the official statement, he died at the Uvira General Hospital, where he was receiving medical treatment.

General Mwaku’s death came after he had taken part earlier in the day in a series of consultations with representatives of the Wazalendo militias, sponsored by Kinshasa. These meetings were organized with the aim of calming tensions in the region, tensions that have already cost the lives of at least seven people. The Wazalendo militias and part of the civil society had opposed the installation of his deputy, General Olivier Gasita, suspecting him of being in the pay of Rwanda. These allegations are rejected by the army, despite his ineffectiveness in enforcing its orders.

Despite his illness, the general maintained a busy schedule, notably visiting the wounded in Uvira’s medical facilities, including the military hospital and the general hospital.

Appointed on June 25, 2025, as head of the 33rd military region—covering the provinces of Maniema and South Kivu—Daniel Mwaku held a strategic position in a particularly delicate security context in the east of the country.

The Congolese army offered its condolences to the general’s widow and orphans, praising his commitment to the region’s security.