The M23 spokesperson for political affairs, Lawrence Kanyuka, announced that the entities affected by this statement include REGIDESO, responsible for water distribution, SNEL, responsible for electricity supply, educational institutions, health facilities, and the National Radio and Television (RTNC).
These agencies closed their offices when M23 fighters took over Bukavu on February 16, 2025. At that time, there were concerns that they might engage in combat with the Congolese army coalition that had sought refuge in the southeast of the city.
Some staff members from these agencies fled, leaving only a few behind and now M23 has requested that these agencies utilize their remaining staff to resume operations.
Since M23 took control of the city, they have begun initiatives to remove anything that could jeopardize its security, especially the weapons that the Congolese army coalition had dispersed among the local children.
M23 asserts that they have restored security in the city and promised the residents that they would not leave but would continue to protect them.
His body was discovered on Friday February 21, 2025 by students who had woken up for morning preps. The shocked students later informed teachers who later managed to get police to the scene at around 4 am.
However, since then, information about the incident has since been scanty after the school management concealed it from the public.
Efforts to get an official comment from the police were futile. However, officers from Mukono police station who preferred anonymity confirmed the incident and said that the body was taken to the city mortuary for a postmortem.
The officer also indicated that the school management cautioned them against revealing the incident to the public, especially the media. Seeta Schools belong to the State Minister for Higher Education, John Chrysostom Muyingo.
A CID officer at Mukono Police Station who preferred anonymity told Uganda Radio Network, that the boy used a rope from the mosquito net to hang himself.
The deceased’s body is expected to be taken to Kyotera for burial. Currently, the vigil is held at Nyanama. This is the second incident involving the death of a student in a school in Mukono district.
Two weeks ago, a senior three student of Mpoma Girls, Carnelian Mary Ndagire, set herself on fire, protesting to return to the same school.
On February 14, 2025, as the M23 group prepared to enter the city of Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu, soldiers and police officers in the city, including those guarding the Bukavu Central Prison, all fled.
What many people noticed was that as soon as the soldiers and police left the city, 2300 inmates at Bukavu Central Prison, known as Prison Centrale de Bukavu, also all escaped.
In an interview with IGIHE, Ilunga Dilamunga Nkonde, who was in charge of the prison, revealed that it was around 10 PM when those responsible for the prison’s security fled.
“It was around 10 PM when the soldiers guarding the inmates at Prison Centrale de Bukavu realized that M23 was about to enter the city and they fled. The prisoners immediately broke down the doors and escaped. We didn’t know what to do because we had no guns, and the police had left,” he said.
The former director mentioned that the prison held 2376 inmates, including women even though the prison has the capacity to accommodate 500 inmates.
Ilunga expressed regret that it was being vandalized by thieves stealing its roofing materials. “I request AFC/M23 to send soldiers to protect this prison so that it does not continue to be destroyed, as it will have nowhere to incarcerate offenders.”
Residents in the city of Bukavu, particularly in Panzi, told IGIHE that in the evening hours, there were people waiting for residents on the road to rob them and that they suspect this was being carried out by gangs that were previously incarcerated in Bukavu Central Prison.
The spokesperson for AFC/M23, Laurence Kanyuka, stated that the issue of escaped prisoners was not limited to the city of Bukavu as the same situation occurred in the city of Goma.
“As we did in Goma, we are establishing means to gather information on the escaped prisoners. We did this in Goma, and today Goma is secure. We are going to implement it here in Bukavu; we have set up a hotline for residents to call when they have a security issue, and we have established a means to ensure residents’ safety,” he said.
A thrilling symphony as music fans swarmed into the buzzing venue, it was an extraordinary experience that would leave a lasting mark on the hearts and souls of those fortunate enough to attend.
“I’m so excited to be in Kigali and I couldn’t be any happier. We’re here because we love you, feel connected to you. It’s a thrill. I love your energy, keep it going,” Legend told the crowd as he kicked off his landmark performance.
As he sat behind his piano, bathed in blue stage lighting and white outfit, cheers erupting around him.
It is at this point that excitement crackled like electrified energy among the crowd setting the stage, bathed in dazzling lights while doing what he does best to entertain the audience.
The stage became a platform of pleasure where creativity fused with passion, concealed the revellers with magic that would sprout from the depths of his mesmerizing performance.
And as the dim lights gradually illuminated the crowd, deafening cheers exploded, sending a wave of infectious energy through the sea of music lovers, as if an invisible thread connected everyone present.
Meanwhile this had been preceded by a dynamic performance from local artist Bwiza with her classic hits such as ‘Ogera,’ a collabo with Rwandan super star Bruce Melody. A brief preview of last year’s show had been also showcased.
Minute after minute Legend displayed his extraordinary work. From whimsical ballads to high-energy dances, the concert weaved a tapestry of captivating melodies and remarkable performances.
As the beats echoed through the venue, time seemed to fly away, taking the audience on an unforgettable sonic journey, a marvel of unique musical combinations they never could have imagined.
After a series of breath-taking performances, the concert approached its climactic finale as he undertook a solo performance of the song “All of me,” throwing the crowd into further ecstasy leaving an indelible mark on the hearts and minds of all in attendance.
Among those who graced the occasion is His Excellency President Paul Kagame and First Lady who could also not hide their excitement as the show came to a close.
Long after the night ended, the memories of that extraordinary music experience continue to echo, transcending barriers and uniting people in a shared ecstasy; inspiring and fueling dreams of a world filled with harmony. What a night to remember!
Ruto, who met Thursday with holdout opposition groups from South Sudan in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya, said the talks will resume in March.
The talks between South Sudan’s transitional government and holdout opposition groups, dubbed Tumaini, meaning hope in Swahili, have been ongoing in Nairobi since last year.
Ruto said in a statement that the mediation process “adjourns until March 2025 to facilitate consultations that will inform the way forward.”
In December 2023, President Salva Kiir of South Sudan asked Ruto to assume the lead role in mediating the peace talks, taking over from the community of Sant’Egidio in Rome, Italy.
South Sudan is grappling with significant challenges, including 9 million people requiring humanitarian aid, 7.5 million people experiencing food insecurity, and an influx of more than 1 million returnees and refugees fleeing violence in neighboring Sudan.
In a post shared on X, Nduhungirehe questioned the motives of the American non-governmental organisation, indicating that refugees were returning home following the M23 rebels’ capture of Goma and assurances of security.
“What a ‘scandal’! How can IDPs dare return home in a secured environment? Why don’t they stay in those camps forever to justify the relevance of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) and Human Rights Watch (HRW)?” Nduhungirehe wrote on Friday, criticizing the UN mission’s nearly three-decade presence in the country without resolving the conflict.
HRW’s latest geospatial analysis revealed that nearly all displacement camps west of Goma had been dismantled since M23 rebels took control of the provincial capital in January.
According to satellite imagery from 16 February shared by the NGO, only debris remained where thousands of tents once stood.
HRW claimed that the closure of the refugee camps violated international humanitarian law, “which prohibits the forced displacement of civilians except when required for their safety or due to imperative military reasons.”
M23 has repeatedly denied allegations of human rights violations, asserting that their fight is against decades of persecution and marginalisation of Congolese Rwandophones in eastern Congo.
Rwanda has also been vocal about the plight of Kinyarwanda-speaking Congolese, many of whom have been displaced due to ethnic discrimination. Over the years, more than 100,000 have sought refuge in Rwanda.
In a recent interview, Nduhungirehe contextualised the long-standing issues facing Congolese of Rwandan descent, tracing them back to colonial-era border divisions.
“Rwanda was a German colony, and in 1910, 1912, and 1911, there was a meeting in Brussels where Belgium, Germany, and the United Kingdom artificially drew the borders between the three countries. Part of the Kingdom of Rwanda was given to Congo along with its people, while another part was given to Uganda. As a result, there are people of Rwandan culture and heritage in both countries—DRC, which was then Congo, and Uganda,” he explained.
“But those in Uganda never faced issues; they were integrated into society and considered Ugandan. However, those in Congo, who have lived there since 1910, were never fully recognised as Congolese; they were always suspected of being Rwandans. This marginalisation persisted even after Congo’s independence. In the 1970s, then-President of Zaire, Mobutu Sese Seko, granted them citizenship, but ten years later, in the 1980s, he revoked it, leaving them in a precarious situation,” Nduhungirehe added.
No group immediately claimed responsibility for the explosions in the Tel Aviv area, which caused no injuries. However, Hamas’ Izz el-Din al-Qassam Brigades in Tulkarm, northern West Bank, issued a statement praising the attack. “The revenge of the martyrs will not be forgotten as long as the occupier is present on our lands,” the statement read.
Katz vowed to exact a “heavy price” from those responsible. “We will hunt down the terrorists relentlessly and destroy the terror infrastructure,” he said in a statement released by his ministry.
He said the intensified raids would focus on “the Tulkarm refugee camp and all refugee camps in the West Bank.” Israel’s state-owned Kan TV reported that the Shin Bet domestic security agency was investigating whether those who planted the explosive devices came from Tulkarm after a sticker found on one of the devices suggested the attack was “revenge” for recent Israeli raids that caused widespread destruction in the area.
In the attack, three empty buses exploded within minutes, and explosive devices were found on two other buses, police said.
Public transportation, including buses, trains, and Tel Aviv’s light rail, was temporarily suspended nationwide for security scans.
Speaking to French television channel LCI, Haddad revealed that Macron had already spoken with Trump twice this week regarding Ukraine.
“Our approach is to maintain dialogue with the president of the United States to ensure that the voice of the Europeans is heard in this negotiation,” he said.
Macron is expected to emphasize to Trump that “the future of Ukraine cannot be decided without the Ukrainians, and the future and security of Europe cannot be negotiated and decided without the Europeans.”
Haddad stressed that Europe has contributed more to Ukraine than the United States, and therefore, must have a say in the process.
Moreover, Macron will also address tariffs that Trump plans to impose on European products. “A trade war, protectionism is not in anyone’s interest,” the minister warned.
This week, Macron has hosted European and non-European partners twice to coordinate a common stance on Ukraine. Both meetings concluded with a unified position that any peace talks should include both Ukraine and Europe.
President Félix Tshisekedi has been requesting military support from his counterpart, President Mahamat Idriss Déby of Chad, to fight the M23 armed group, which has made significant advances in the east, capturing strategic areas including the cities of Bukavu and Goma.
Takilal Ndolassem, a prominent politician who leads the opposition party Front Populaire pour la Libération (FPL), stated that just because Chad has good relations with the DRC, it does not mean it should send its soldiers to die in a foreign war.
Ndolassem reminded President Mahamat that the DRC has a large population, and it should be training its own soldiers to protect the country instead of asking Chad—a country with fewer than 30 million people—to send troops.
He said, “It is inappropriate to send Chadians to die in the DRC. It is not possible, Mr. President, because we are a small population on land covering 1,284,000 square kilometres. Yet, in Kinshasa, there are 20 million people, and in all of Congo, 140 million. Why should we send our people to die there?”
The politician explained that the Chadian government has also faced armed groups for many years but has never asked the international community to send troops to help fight them.
He urged President Mahamat to avoid taking sides and to support peaceful resolutions made by African heads of state, which include calls for dialogue between the DRC government and M23.
Human rights advocate, Dr. Ibrahim Mahamat Ali, reminded that in 1998, Chad sent troops to the DRC to assist Laurent-Désiré Kabila, who was fighting the armed group RCD.
He said, “We don’t want history to repeat itself. Today, it is necessary for Chad and other countries to avoid sending troops and instead rely on diplomacy to resolve the conflict. It is time for this to stop!”
Dr. Ibrahim emphasised that Chad is not a military reserve ready to go abroad whenever asked, highlighting that the DRC should have built its own military forces long ago.
He said, “The Congolese should have focused on strengthening their army long ago instead of focusing on fashion.”
Citing Chad’s involvement in Mali, focused on counterterrorism efforts, Dr. Ibrahim said the situation in eastern Congo is “very different.”
“Our intervention in Mali was to protect a people from a terrorist threat. It was a righteous cause. The situation in DRC is very different. Let’s not put our soldiers on the line to defend a leader who seeks to stay in power,” he stated.
He stressed that in Congo, M23 rebels enjoy support from the population they seek to protect from persecution and marginalisation targeted at Kinyarwanda-speaking Congolese.
“We all witnessed the enthusiasm of the people as the M23 arrived in the region under control,” he remarked.
The DRC’s military is already cooperating with those of Burundi, the FDLR, and the Wazalendo militias in the war.
Other groups present in the DRC include troops from the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the United Nations peacekeeping force (MONUSCO). Meanwhile, nearly 300 European mercenaries who had been fighting alongside the Congolese army were recently forced to withdraw after the fall of Goma to the M23 rebels.
Legend touched down in Kigali this morning, along with his wife, celebrated model Chrissy Teigen and is set to perform at the at BK Arena.
Anticipation is high as fans look forward to experiencing live renditions of iconic songs such as “All of Me,” “Ordinary People,” and “Tonight.” These tracks have left a significant mark on the R&B and jazz music scenes worldwide.
“John Legend blends jazz, soul, and R&B flawlessly. This concert will showcase a unique musical experience for everyone,” said excited fan Valens Nduwayo.
A 12-time Grammy Award winner, John Legend is renowned for his smooth vocals and heartfelt stage presence. His global influence has seen him perform at prestigious venues, and this concert will also feature Rwandan artist Bwiza and popular DJ Toxxyk.
“Having John Legend perform in Kigali is more than entertainment; it’s a chance to highlight our city I believe the lineup will create an unforgettable show.” Said Josephine Mbabazi, another music enthusiast.
The event, organized by Global Citizen and Kendrick Lamar’s pgLang in partnership with the Rwanda Development Board, aims to create economic opportunities for African youth through live music.
After Kigali, the tour will continue to Lagos, Nigeria, where John Legend will perform with local stars Simi and DJ Consequence on February 25.
“John Legend’s songs resonate deeply. I expect a truly special night filled with energy and emotion as fans from across East Africa unite for this unforgettable concert,” said Mbabazi.
