Mukwege Calls For Special Tribunal And Warns Against Constitutional Revision

Kinshasa, August 1, 2026 - Nobel laureate Dr. Denis Mukwege used Genocost Day to call for a special criminal tribunal for the Democratic Republic of the Congo, arguing that prosecutions should be part of a broader transitional justice process.

Mukwege said accountability should be accompanied by truth-telling, reparations and institutional reform to prevent future atrocities. He also proposed a national memorial in Kinshasa and provincial memory sites to honor victims of violence.

He highlighted continuing atrocities in eastern DRC, including massacres attributed to the Allied Democratic Forces in the Beni and Mambasa areas. He also cited findings by UN experts implicating the Rwandan army and AFC/M23 groups in violence and the exploitation of mineral resources.

Mukwege linked the conflict to internal problems including complicity, corruption and weak governance in the justice and security sectors. He called for stronger traceability of strategic minerals and more local processing to address conflict drivers tied to resource extraction.

He also urged authorities to abandon proposed constitutional revisions that he said were intended to extend President Felix Tshisekedi's mandate. Mukwege warned that such changes could deepen instability and undermine efforts toward peace and justice.