Wazalendo Militiamen Imposing Illegal Taxes on Displaced Populations in Musienene

February 19, 2026 - Musienene, Lubero, North Kivu, DRC - Civil society organizations in Musienene, the main town of the Baswagha chiefdom, are sounding the alarm over the harassment of displaced populations by Wazalendo militiamen. Residents report being forced to pay illegal taxes for activities such as charcoal production, with amounts ranging from 5,000 Congolese francs to 10 US dollars per batch. Affected communities include Vikindwe, Vulimira, Kirirya, Mutiri, and surrounding areas. Kambale Maboko Fanuel, president of Musienene civil society, highlighted that these demands hinder the livelihoods of displaced people and even impact host families. He urged political and administrative authorities to intervene to halt these abusive practices. Similar illegal taxation reportedly targets sawyers and timber traders, further disrupting local economic activity. Civil society notes that displaced residents had previously issued a 48-hour ultimatum to Wazalendo fighters to leave their areas of origin, citing the militia’s actions as the main cause of their displacement. The appeal was delivered during a meeting at the ESCO field in Butembo, led by representatives from the Mwenye civil society and the New Congolese Civil Society (NSCC). Abuses by Wazalendo-affiliated militiamen in the region reportedly include looting, harassment, sexual violence, arbitrary arrests, unauthorized roadblocks, and the illegal collection of taxes, which have become recurrent in the Baswagha chiefdom and Musienene. Civil society continues to call for exclusive control by the Armed Forces of the DRC (FARDC) to restore peace and security in the area.