The president of the M23 rebel group in eastern Congo has been dismissed by the group’s military leader over accusations that he is supporting Bosco Ntaganda, a wanted war criminal, said a spokesperson of the M23 Thursday.
“Jean-Marie Runiga gave Bosco Ntaganda financial support to recruit military personnel. He has also been compromising the peace process in order to protect Ntaganda. We say it is not acceptable and General Sultani Makenga dismissed him yesterday,” said Bertrand Bisimwa, an M23 spokesman.
The move has split the M23 as a new group has been formed by those who still support Runiga, including Gen. Baudoin Ngaruye, the second-ranked military leader of the group.
“President Runiga was not dismissed, it was a unilateral decision made by Makenga,” said Col. Seraphin Mirindi, who has been appointed spokesperson of the new M23 faction.
“The army supports President Runiga and we do not want to follow Makenga who is conniving with the government in Kinshasa to destabilize us.”
Runiga and Gen. Ngaruye in are presently in Kibumba, 12 kilometers (7 miles) from Goma airport, while Makenga is in Tchanzu, near the Ugandan border, said Mirindi.
Ngaruye controls an estimated 2,000 men, twice as many as Makenga, said Mirindi.
AP
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