DRC : Uvira locked down, Wazalendo block access for residents of M23-controlled areasSOS Médias Burundi

Uvira, March 16, 2026 – Wazalendo militiamen operating in the town of Runingu, in the Uvira territory of South Kivu, announced on Sunday a ban on entry into the city of Uvira for anyone coming from areas controlled by the rebel group March 23 Movement (M23).

According to several local sources, this decision particularly affects travelers coming from the city of Bukavu and other localities in the Ruzizi Plain currently under M23 control.

A measure justified by security reasons

In a message addressed to the population on Sunday, the Wazalendo stated that they had closed access to the city of Uvira for residents coming from areas occupied by “the enemy.”

The militiamen claim to suspect certain travelers of espionage activities aimed at identifying the military positions of the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC), as well as those of their allies present in the city.

“We have observed that several vehicles coming from Bukavu are transporting people who are gathering information on military positions in Uvira,” the Wazalendo stated.

Currently, the city of Uvira remains under the control of the FARDC, supported by the Wazalendo and other local armed groups.

Residents turned back from markets

Residents of the Ruzizi Plain, particularly from Kamanyola, Luvungi, Luberizi, and Sange, claim to have been prevented from accessing the Kashatu market, located in the Runingu area.

They explain that they had come to participate in the market commercial activities but were turned back by the militiamen because they came from areas controlled by the M23.

Civil society concerns

Some civil society actors in the Uvira territory are worried about the consequences of this decision on the daily lives of the population.

According to them, the measure risks preventing many Uvira residents from accessing their farmland and pastures located in the Ruzizi Plain, particularly in Sange, Mutarule, Luberizi, Luvungi, Lubarika, and Kamanyola.

Feared economic impact

Local economic experts also highlight the economic risks associated with the closure of the road between Uvira and Bukavu.

They point out that the recent resumption of travel between the two cities had boosted trade.

“Travelers between Uvira and Bukavu had resumed their activities. Fish from Uvira were easily sold in Bukavu and even in Goma. Meanwhile, fabrics, clothing, and medicine from Bukavu entered Uvira without difficulty,” they explain.

According to these analysts, the closure of this trade corridor risks having a negative impact on the populations of both cities.

Rumors of pressure from Burundi

Furthermore, some sources suggest possible external influence. According to these unconfirmed reports, Burundian authorities allegedly encouraged the Wazalendo to close the Uvira-Bukavu road.

This decision is intended to limit the movement of traders who previously traveled to Burundi to buy goods before reselling them in Bukavu.

Regional security context

Reactivated in 2021, the M23, composed mainly of Congolese Tutsis, is now part of the Congo River Alliance (AFC), led by Corneille Nangaa, former president of the DRC’s Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI).

The AFC/M23 now controls several strategic areas in North and South Kivu, including Goma and Bukavu, the provincial capitals, as well as the Rubaya mining site, one of the world’s largest coltan deposits. This strategic mineral provides a significant portion of the world’s tantalum, a metal essential to the electronics industry and new technologies.

The AFC/M23 advocates for the establishment of a federal state in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Diplomacy in failure

Kinshasa accuses Rwanda of supporting the M23, while Kigali denounces the alleged support of the DRC and Burundi for the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR). Despite Rwandan denials, a report by the UN Group of Experts mentions the presence of 5,000 to 7,000 Rwandan soldiers alongside AFC/M23 fighters.

On the ground, clashes continue despite the Washington Agreement signed on December 4, 2025, between the DRC and Rwanda under the US mediation, illustrating the difficulties of diplomatic initiatives aimed at stabilizing the region.

Burundi participated in this agreement as an observer, represented by President Évariste Ndayishimiye. According to an internal report from the Congolese Ministry of the Interior and Security consulted by SOS Médias Burundi in December 2025, Burundi had deployed between August 2022 and December 2025, more than 29,000 soldiers were deployed in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

These soldiers are fighting alongside the FARDC (Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo) and the Wazalendo militias, which are supported by Kinshasa, against the M23. The same document indicates that approximately 10,000 Burundian soldiers remain deployed in eastern DRC. In some areas, this coalition also includes fighters from the FDLR, a Rwandan Hutu armed group, some of whose members are accused of participating in the 1994 genocide against the Tutsis.

A fragile security situation in Uvira

In December 2025, the M23 seized Uvira, a city located just a few kilometers from Bujumbura, Burundi’s commercial capital and home to UN agencies, embassies, and much of the central administration, before withdrawing permanently last January following pressure from the United States.

In this region, the Wazalendo militias often fill the void left by the loyalist army, which they criticize for its weakness. Clashes between the military and the Wazalendo, as well as the disarmament of soldiers by the militias, are regularly reported.

In September 2025, a general in the FARDC (Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo) was prevented from entering Uvira by the Wazalendo, who had incited a segment of the population. Demonstrations erupted, resulting in approximately ten deaths. The FARDC command ultimately transferred General Olivier Gasita to another post.

The Wazalendo suspected him of being a spy for Rwanda and the M23, particularly because of his membership in the Banyamulenge Tutsi minority.