Government Nullifies AFC/M23 Appointments at Ten Universities in Goma and Bukavu

Kinshasa, DRC, August 10, 2026 - The Ministry of Higher Education has officially rejected the recent appointments made by the AFC/M23 to the management committees of ten public higher education institutions in Goma and Bukavu. This decision, communicated through document COORDO/AFC-M23/FRK/SB/2026, asserts that the nominations made on August 7 are deemed illegal and represent an unlawful substitution of state authority. The institutions affected include the Institut Supérieur de Commerce (ISC), Institut Supérieur des Techniques Médicales (ISTM), Institut Supérieur des Techniques Appliquées (ISTA), and Institut Supérieur Pédagogique (ISP) in Goma, as well as ISC, ISTM, ISP, Institut Supérieur de Développement Rural (ISDR), Institut Supérieur des Arts et Métiers (ISAM), and Université Officielle de Bukavu (UOB) in Bukavu.

The Ministry's ruling emphasizes that the legally invested management committees of these institutions will remain in place, thereby upholding the integrity of the state’s educational governance. Officials have warned that any individuals or entities attempting to implement the AFC/M23 appointments could face sanctions, reinforcing the government’s stance against what it perceives as encroachments on its authority. This move comes amid ongoing tensions in the eastern DRC, where the M23 has been accused of undermining state institutions and exacerbating instability in the region.

The rejection of these appointments is part of a broader effort by the Congolese government to assert control over educational institutions and prevent the encroachment by armed non-state actors into critical sectors. The Ministry of Higher Education has reiterated its commitment to maintaining the rule of law and ensuring that all appointments within the education sector are conducted in accordance with national regulations.