DRC: MONUSCO calls for an investigation

By Badylon Kawanda Bakiman

Reactions are mounting to the two explosions that took place on February 27 in ‘’Place de l'Indépendance’’ in Bukavu, capital of Su-Kivu province in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), killing 13 people and injuring around a hundred, according to sources contacted locally. The outrage continues to this day. The explosions were heard just minutes after the meeting of Corneille Nangaa, head of the Alliance fleuve Congo/M23.

Following President Tshisekedi's condemnation of the explosion, describing it as an “abhorrent terrorist act” perpetrated by “a foreign army illegally present on Congolese soil”, without directly naming the AFC/M23 or Rwanda; and following several human rights actors and activists who also raised their voices, it's now the turn of the United Nations Mission for the Stability of the Congo (MONUSCO) to step up to the plate.

In a communiqué signed by Bintou Keita, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General in the DRC and head of MONUSCO, published on Friday February 28, 2025, the UN agency called for “exhaustive investigations to identify the perpetrators of this heinous act and bring them to justice. This attack adds to an already long list of atrocities perpetrated against civilians, including those attributed to the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) rebels in North Kivu and to violence by the CODECO militia and Zaire in Ituri”.
In the same press release, Bintou Keita Bintou Keita expressed her outrage at the tragedy. She expressed her condolences to the families of the victims, the government and all the Congolese people, while wishing a speedy recovery to the injured. Her message was one of profound solidarity in the face of the barbarity that has struck innocent civilians.

The M23 rebels have been advancing in the DRC for several months, taking control of several towns, including Goma and Bukavu. According to the UN, they are supported by 4,000 Rwandan soldiers. For its part, Kinshasa is promising a firm response and calling for national solidarity in the face of this growing security crisis.