AFC/M23 Vows to Capture Uvira ‘Within Days,’ Governor Says

Kigali, October 16, 2025 - The AFC/M23 coalition has announced plans to seize the city of Uvira in South Kivu province “within a few days,” according to Busu Bwa Ngwi Patrick, the group’s appointee as governor of South Kivu. The declaration was made on October 9, 2025, as Busu presented a power transformer to residents of Kamanyola commune in Walungu territory.

Speaking to residents, the governor said AFC/M23 remains committed to what he described as the removal of a “corrupt” government led by President Félix Tshisekedi and urged locals to join the coalition. He said the group’s commander‑in‑chief, Gen. Maj. Sultani Makenga, had instructed him to tell Kamanyola inhabitants that “in a few days we will go and capture Uvira.”

The pronouncement comes amid ongoing clashes across parts of South Kivu, where AFC/M23 has been fighting local militias and ad hoc armed groups. The coalition claims recent advances in areas near Shabunda and Mwenga, including the capture of Chulwe, Kintuluku and Lubimbe, the statement said.

Local defense forces in and around Uvira are reported to include elements of the FARDC (DRC armed forces) as well as Burundian contingents and Wazalendo militias aligned with commanders such as William Yakutumba and John Makanaki. Those forces have publicly pledged to repel any attempt by AFC/M23 to enter the city.

In a public appeal, AFC/M23 leader Prof. Stanislas Baleke addressed rival commanders directly, urging them to abandon what he termed the “wagon of lies” propagated by Kinshasa and to withdraw from Uvira to avoid casualties. “My brothers Makanaki, Kamama, Yakutumba, Ngoma Nzito, all of you, run away quickly when you hear the first shot… I do not want you to die,” Baleke said.

The threat to Uvira - a strategic port town on the western shore of Lake Tanganyika - raises fears among residents about potential escalation, displacement and disruptions to trade and humanitarian access. Kamanyola, where the governor spoke, sits along a corridor frequently affected by rebel movements and inter‑group clashes.

Observers tracking the conflict note that alliances in eastern DRC are fluid: militias once allied with government forces have clashed with the FARDC or switched sides, creating complex fronts and localized tensions. The latest AFC/M23 declaration underscores the fragility of security in parts of South Kivu and the persistent risk of broader confrontations.

Local authorities in Kamanyola said the governor’s visit included community outreach and material support, but the security council and municipal leaders are also said to be monitoring the troop movements closely and coordinating measures to protect civilians.