DRC : FRN defies Kinshasa and imposes its academic year in Goma and Bukavu

SOS Médias Burundi

Goma, October 15, 2026 — The Front for the Refoundation of the Nation (FRN), led by Joseph Kabila, launched the 2026-2027 academic year on Thursday at the University of Goma, in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Presiding over the ceremony, Corneille Nangaa, vice-president of the FRN, reaffirmed the movement’s commitment to continuing teaching activities in the territories under its control, despite the suspension imposed by the Congolese government in several public institutions in North Kivu and South Kivu.

The suspension of academic activities was decided by a ministerial order signed on August 20, 2026, by the Minister of Higher Education, University, Scientific Research, and Innovation, Marie-Thérèse Sombo Ayanne Safi Mukuna. The measure, made public on August 26, affects eleven public higher education institutions, five in Goma and six in Bukavu. It suspends registrations, classes, assessments, and deliberations for the 2026-2027 academic year. The government justified this decision by citing the security situation and the need to guarantee the safety of students and staff, as well as the validity of diplomas awarded.

Speaking to students and university officials, Corneille Nangaa criticized this decision from Kinshasa. He advocated for the continuation of academic activities in the two eastern provinces of the country, where the FRN (the Front for the Refoundation of the Nation) has established a parallel administration.

The territories administered by the movement extend from the border with Uganda in the north to areas near the border with Burundi in the south, also running along part of the Rwandan border.

For Corneille Nangaa, young people must not be sacrificed because of political and security tensions. He stressed the need to maintain classes and ensure the continuity of education in the areas controlled by the FRN.

During the ceremony, the Academic Secretary General of the University of Goma, Kabuyanga Kabuseba Richard, called on teachers and faculty members to support students and maintain the quality of education. He emphasized their responsibility in guiding students, given the uncertainty surrounding the future of university institutions in the region.

Rémy Segihobe Bahati, an FRN official present at the event, emphasized the importance of adhering to the academic calendar, the regularity of classes, university regulations, and the organization of exams.

Among the students, Kinshasa’s decision had raised concerns. Claude Iragi, a student at the University of Goma, explained that they feared an interruption of their studies after the suspension was announced. He now hopes that the institutions involved will be able to resolve the situation so that students can continue their education.

A similar ceremony was also held in Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu, attended by Bertrand Bisimwa, another vice-president of the FRN. The launch of the academic year in both cities reflects the movement’s determination to keep university institutions running, notwithstanding the decisions taken by the central government.

However, the question of whether degrees issued by institutions continuing their operations in these areas will be recognized remains a key issue. The suspension ordered by Kinshasa specifically concerns instruction, assessments, and the final grading processes at the eleven public institutions in question. Consequently, the continuation of classes under the administration of the FRN does not, in itself, resolve concerns regarding the administrative status of these institutions or the national validity of the degrees they may eventually issue.

The FRN was announced on October 12 in Goma, led by Joseph Kabila—the former president of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)—who was sentenced to death in absentia in September 2025 on charges including treason and war crimes. Both he and his associates have dismissed the conviction as “fanciful.” Corneille Nangaa and Bertrand Bisimwa serve as the movement’s vice-presidents.

This new structure replaces the Congo River Alliance (AFC) and the March 23 Movement (M23), which had previously been united under the AFC/M23 coalition. This reorganization comes as the FRN maintains control over vast territories in North and South Kivu—including the cities of Goma and Bukavu—where the ongoing confrontation with the authorities in Kinshasa continues to impact public services and the daily lives of the local population.