Author: Nicole Kamanzi Muteteri

This development, which occurred on January 27, 2025, is seen as a significant step for the group in its effort to fully capture the city.

Since the early hours of January 27, M23 fighters have been patrolling Goma, considered the capital of North Kivu Province.

However, the city remained tense as clashes between M23 and the Congolese Armed Forces (FARDC) continued throughout Monday, causing widespread fear among residents, with some beginning to flee.

On the same day, a small number of Congolese civilians, FARDC soldiers, and UN staff crossed into Rwanda through the border connecting Rwanda and Goma, seeking refuge.

Fighting intensified in areas such as Majengo and Himbi as M23 attempted to push further into the city.

Meanwhile, FARDC and allied Wazalendo forces put up stiff resistance. The sound of heavy and light gunfire continued to echo across Goma on Monday, leaving residents confined to their homes in fear.

Other parts of the city, including Birere and the airport vicinity, also experienced gunfire, according to reports.

Security concerns have spilled over to the border between DRC and Rwanda, where shells fired from Congo have landed on Rwandan soil.

Although most were intercepted, some caused fatalities. The Rwandan Defense Forces spokesperson, Brigadier General Ronald Rwivanga, confirmed that five civilians in Rubavu District were killed, and nearly 30 others were injured by these shells.

Reports from Rubavu also indicate that the shells were fired by members of the FDLR, a terrorist group opposing the Rwandan government, in collaboration with FARDC forces.

During a meeting in Nairobi, they emphasized that restructuring the AU would help the organization better serve the needs of the continent and its people.

The discussions, led by Kenyan President William Ruto, focused on revitalizing the AU’s structures and operations to enhance its ability to implement programs and manage resources efficiently.

The retreat was attended by presidents John Mahama of Ghana, Azali Assoumani of the Comoros, Taye Atske Selassie of Ethiopia, and Umaro Sissoco Embalo of Guinea-Bissau. Also present was AU Commission Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat.

As part of the proposals, the leaders agreed to establish a committee of five presidents to drive the implementation of reforms.

They also emphasized the need to strengthen mechanisms for conflict resolution, advance financial autonomy, and operationalize the African Court of Justice.

These steps aim to make the AU more self-reliant and capable of addressing disputes within the continent.

Suggestions included creating a dedicated AU peace support department, inspired by the UN model, to manage peace operations more effectively.

The leaders also highlighted the importance of reducing inefficiencies and overlapping mandates to streamline decision-making processes and restore confidence among African citizens and international partners.

The leaders concluded that implementing these reforms is crucial for the AU to address the continent’s challenges and take advantage of its vast opportunities for growth and development.

As school officials begin the daunting task of rebuilding, they face an estimated cost of hundreds of millions of U.S. dollars, with recovery expected to take years.

At least 12 schools in Los Angeles County have suffered significant damage, with five campuses destroyed, according to CalMatters, a nonprofit news organization focusing on local agendas in California.

Los Angeles Unified School District, the nation’s second-largest school system, lost two elementary schools in Pacific Palisades, while Palisades Charter High School was heavily damaged. In Pasadena and Altadena, three additional elementary schools were destroyed.

The financial toll is overwhelming. Rebuilding could cost hundreds of millions of dollars. “Rebuilding these schools could take years,” said Debra Duardo, Los Angeles County Superintendent of Schools.

One source of relief is California’s Proposition 2, a 10-billion-dollar school construction bond passed in November to fund repairs and rebuild efforts, including damage from disasters like wildfires.

However, the fund is distributed on a first-come, first-served basis, and there is already a significant backlog of schools waiting for assistance. Priority will likely go to schools damaged by fires, raising concerns for districts with other urgent needs.

“There is a growing concern that Prop. 2 funds will be quickly depleted, leaving smaller districts like Keyes struggling to address our own long-term facility needs,” said Helio Brasil, superintendent of Keyes Union School District, which serves low-income students near Modesto.

The California Legislature has approved a 2.5-billion-dollar fire relief package for the Los Angeles area. However, the rebuilding process will rely on multiple funding sources, including insurance, private grants, local bonds, lawsuit settlements, and both state and federal funds.

In the meantime, districts are scrambling for temporary solutions. The Los Angeles Unified School District has already relocated students from the two destroyed schools to other campuses and is focusing on providing mental health support for students and staff coping with trauma.

The impact extends far beyond rebuilding structures.

Thousands of students and staff have been displaced. In the Pasadena Unified School District, more than 1,300 staff members lost homes within the burn zone, and the district estimates that thousands of students and families have been affected.

“The pain of being evacuated, losing your home, or having family and friends who have been impacted… it’s just so devastating,” said Duardo.

“At so many districts in our county, the superintendent themselves has been evacuated, or 50 percent of the staff has been evacuated. And meanwhile, they’re all trying to help their students.”

The rebuilding effort is further complicated by the need to prepare for future fire risks. With climate change increasing the likelihood of severe wildfires, there is growing debate about how to rebuild more resiliently.

“Are we just inviting another problem down the road?” asked Michael Hricak, an adjunct professor of architecture at the University of Southern California.

Past wildfire recovery efforts in California suggest the road to rebuilding will be long. In Sonoma County, the Anova Center for Education, destroyed in the 2017 Tubbs Fire, only reopened in early January, more than seven years later.

Devastated by the 2018 Camp Fire, the Paradise Unified School District has spent 155 million dollars rebuilding campuses but still needs an additional 150 million dollars to complete repairs.

President Ruto shared the development on Sunday night in a statement posted on his X account, describing the ongoing conflict in Eastern DRC as a severe humanitarian crisis.

“The escalating deteriorating peace and security situation in the DRC is of grave concern. The humanitarian crisis is being exacerbated by ongoing military actions, including the closure of airspace in Goma,” he stated.

President Ruto urged all parties to pursue dialogue as a way to resolve the crisis.

“As chair of the EAC, I call on the parties to the Luanda process and my brothers, President Félix Tshisekedi and President Paul Kagame, both of whom I have spoken to this evening, to heed the call for peace from the people of our region and the international community,” he said.

Ruto added that after consulting with his fellow EAC leaders, they agreed to convene an extraordinary summit of the EAC Heads of State within 48 hours to determine the way forward.

His announcement came in the wake of heavy fighting near the outskirts of Goma, with the M23 rebel group openly declaring its intent to take control of the city.

In the early hours of Monday, January 27, 2025, M23 political spokesperson Lawrence Kanyuka announced the rebel group had taken control of Goma and urged residents to remain calm.

He also urged Congolese soldiers still in Goma to surrender their arms to the United Nations peacekeeping mission in DRC (MONUSCO) and gather at Goma’s Stade de l’Unité before 3 a.m., warning that after the deadline, the city would be fully under M23’s control.

He highlighted this in an exclusive interview with IGIHE on Sunday, January 26, 2025.

Mukuralinda emphasized that while fighting continues between the M23 group and the DR Congo army, along with allied groups including Burundian forces, Wazalendo, FDLR terrorist group, SAMDRC, and mercenaries, and some of the fighting is near Rwanda’s border, citizens have no cause for concern.

“What I can assure you is that Rwanda’s security, particularly in Rubavu and other nearby areas, is secure with no problems arising,” he stated.

“No one has crossed from Congo to destabilize Rwanda, but citizens have reported hearing gunfire nearby. Indeed, it’s no surprise that fighting is near Rwanda’s border, and it’s also not surprising that a stray bullet might land in Rwanda.”

Some residents of Rubavu District expressed concerns due to hearing gunfire close to them, and in some cases, bullets have landed on Rwandan soil after being fired from the DRC.

Alain Mukuralinda explained that while fighting is occurring near Rwanda’s border, it is possible for a bullet to land on Rwandan soil, but this should be investigated by the relevant authorities to understand the cause.

He said, “This has happened before, as we know. The important thing is that when it happens, Rwanda’s army also monitors the situation. They track it to determine if a bullet fell, whether anyone was injured, if there was damage, and if the bullet’s fall was accidental, a mistake, or if it was intentional.”

He confirmed that once the investigation is completed, the Rwandan Government informs citizens of the findings and reiterated that there is no cause for alarm regarding the country’s security.

Mukuralinda also mentioned that any citizen with concerns can approach local civil and military authorities, who can provide guidance on how to respond.

Reliable reports indicate that one bullet pierced a house in Cyanzarwe Sector, Busigari Cell, Bugu Village, entering from outside. In Rubavu District’s Rutagara area, a bullet hit and killed a resident’s goat.

Regarding those who might believe the gunfire near Rubavu is a result of provocations by the DRC, Mukuralinda stated that such incidents would be thoroughly investigated and addressed by the relevant commission.

He added, “If it happens, Rwanda’s army will investigate and take the necessary steps. If residents remember anything about the incident, we have a joint commission where both countries collaborate. So, if a bullet falls in Rwanda or if an aircraft crosses the border, military personnel infiltrates, all of these situations are handled by a commission that makes decisions to clarify what occurred.”

He said that relocation could be considered if it is found that civilians in areas affected by the conflict in the DRC.

Since tensions arose between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, there have been repeated incidents of provocations from the Congolese side, including violations of Rwandan airspace by the DRC’s military aircraft, with one such incident resulting in the aircraft being shot in January 2023.

Mukuralinda emphasized that Rwanda’s army is vigilant and prepared to defend the country against any potential attack.

President Lourenço addressed the recent fighting in North Kivu on January 24, 2025, particularly around the city of Sake, and in South Kivu Province.

He urged all parties involved in the conflict to respect human rights, protect civilians, and ensure the safety of personnel from the joint verification mechanism monitoring the ceasefire.

In December 2024, Rwanda and the DRC halted the Luanda dialogue after failing to reach an agreement on the M23 rebel group’s demand for direct talks with the DRC government to achieve lasting peace.

Rwanda had called for direct negotiations between the DRC government and M23, but the DRC rejected this, maintaining that its preferred approach was to continue military action against the group, which controls large parts of North Kivu Province.

President Lourenço reiterated that a military solution cannot resolve the insecurity in Eastern DRC and called for a resumption of the Luanda peace talks.

Since January 23, 2025, M23 rebels have controlled the city of Sake, located just over 20 kilometers from Goma. Meanwhile, the DRC government has continued to reject any negotiations with the group.

On January 23, 2025, M23 announced plans to take control of Goma, claiming its mission is to liberate the Congolese people, particularly Rwandophones, whom the group alleges have faced long-standing persecution.

This is not the first time M23 has targeted Goma. In 2012, the group briefly controlled the city before relinquishing it after peace talks in Kampala, Uganda. Today, Goma’s over two million residents live in fear, uncertain if history is about to repeat itself.

Tensions soared following the reported death of North Kivu Governor Maj Gen Peter Cirimwami, who succumbed to gunshot wounds allegedly inflicted by M23.

The DRC government has confirmed his death. A neighbor of the late governor told IGIHE that rumors of his demise had circulated before the official announcement, noting he hadn’t seen the governor for a week despite previously seeing him daily.

Fear has gripped Goma, and many residents anticipate an escalation in the conflict. Since M23’s announcement, border crossings between Rwanda and Goma have significantly decreased. At both Petite Barrière and Grande Barrière, fewer people are making the journey.

Yakubu Babu, a trader from Rubavu’s Majengo neighborhood who crosses into Goma daily to sell clothes, described the situation: “You know how it is during wartime. People are scared. Some have stopped working altogether, while others cross cautiously. The traffic to Goma has definitely decreased.”

Another trader, Fabrice Nkundababyeyi, who uses a wheelchair to transport goods, shared similar concerns. He noted that Rwandans entering Goma risk harassment by FARDC soldiers and local porters.

Despite the uncertainty, some services in Goma, such as banking and air travel, remain operational. However, schools and other institutions have been disrupted.

A power blackout on January 24, caused by fighting between M23 and FARDC, has further unsettled residents. The clash damaged the Kibumba-Goma electricity line, plunging the city into darkness.

Kanku Jojo, a young man from Goma traveling through Rwanda en route to Uganda for studies, spoke about the situation back home: “These days, things are very tense. People are scared and unsure of what to do. Those who can afford to leave have already started fleeing.”

Another Goma resident, Baba, added, “Goma feels like a war zone. The conflict is terrifying.”

Intense fighting continues in Sake, about 20 kilometers from Goma, as the city braces for what may come. While M23’s timeline for capturing Goma remains uncertain, the residents live in constant fear, unsure of what the future holds.