Ugandan Released After Kinshasa Detention Says He Was Wrongly Accused of Being Rwandan

Goma, 11 August 2026 - Kamukama Abbre, a Ugandan national recently transferred from detention in Kinshasa to AFC/M23, has accused Congolese authorities of unlawfully imprisoning him after allegedly identifying him as Rwandan because of his appearance.

Kamukama was among 15 detainees transferred to AFC/M23 on 7 August through the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). AFC/M23 said nine of those released were among the people it had specifically requested to be freed, while the remaining six, including Kamukama, were not on its original list.

Kamukama said he had been working as a clothing trader between Goma and Uganda and possessed the necessary documents for his business. He alleged that Congolese authorities confiscated his documents and detained him without giving him a proper trial.

Describing his time in detention in Kinshasa, Kamukama said conditions were extremely difficult and that he eventually believed he might never regain his freedom. He alleged that officials told him his continued detention was based on instructions from higher authorities rather than a judicial process.

The Ugandan also questioned the deterioration of relations between Uganda and the DRC, saying the two countries should maintain close ties given the relationship between Presidents Yoweri Museveni and Félix Tshisekedi. He urged Tshisekedi to learn from Museveni’s approach to regional relations.

AFC/M23 spokesperson Lawrence Kanyuka described Kamukama’s case as an example of what the group says are broader problems of discrimination and exclusion in the DRC, including allegations of people being targeted because of their origin or physical appearance.

AFC/M23 called on the international community to pressure Congolese authorities to end what it described as arbitrary detention based on origin or appearance and to release other Congolese nationals it claims remain unlawfully detained.