What Did Kabare Urge Kabila to Do for the Banyamulenge? An Open Letter Made Public
Minembwe Capital News (MCN)
William Kabare Girinka, a renowned analyst in the Great Lakes region, has written an open letter to Joseph Kabila Kabange, leader of the Front pour la Refondation de la Nation (FRN), urging him to step up efforts to assist the Banyamulenge living in the highlands of Minembwe, who continue to suffer the consequences of war and a severe hunger crisis.
Kabare Girinka submitted the letter to Minembwe Capital News (MCN) in written form, expressing his concerns about the living conditions of the Banyamulenge and calling on the FRN leadership to treat the security and humanitarian situation of civilians in the Hauts-Plateaux of Minembwe as an urgent priority.
In his message, Kabare reminded Kabila that 62 years have passed since the Mulele rebellion began in 1964, noting that the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo has endured decades of recurring conflicts.
He stated that these conflicts have had devastating consequences, particularly for the Banyamulenge and the Tutsi community in general, leaving peace and security as persistent aspirations for the people of the region.
Kabare said he was pleased to see Joseph Kabila return to the Congolese political arena, where he now occupies a leading position within the FRN, an alliance he says brings together M23 and Twirwaneho.
He reminded Kabila of the security commitments previously communicated by FRN leaders, including assurances made by Bertrand Bisimwa, the leader of M23, during his visit to Minembwe, when he promised residents that their security would receive special attention.
He also referred to a subsequent statement by Corneille Nangaa, the coordinator of AFC/M23, who likewise emphasized that the security of Minembwe deserved special attention and should be managed from outside the area.
However, Kabare argues that despite these commitments and the hopes they raised, the people of Minembwe continue to face serious challenges. He pointed to attacks involving drones, as well as military operations by the FARDC, Burundian forces, Wazalendo, FDLR and mercenaries.
The hunger crisis is the main concern raised by Kabare in his message.
He explained that residents of the Hauts-Plateaux of Minembwe are facing severe difficulties accessing food because the routes traditionally used to transport supplies into the area have been closed.
In his letter, he accuses the government in Kinshasa of working with Burundi to close these routes, a situation he says has further worsened the humanitarian crisis in the region.
He explained that, in the past, cattle were the main source of food and livelihood for the Banyamulenge, but that livestock has also suffered extensive losses as a result of the war.
According to Kabare, more than 1.2 million cattle were looted between 2017 and 2026 during the conflict, representing a major economic loss that has contributed to the deterioration of living conditions among the population.
In his appeal, Kabare urged Joseph Kabila and the FRN leadership to use their available resources and experience to find solutions to the security and hunger crises affecting the highlands of Minembwe.
In his view, this is one of the areas where the security of the Banyamulenge continues to face serious challenges. He called on the FRN to intensify efforts to protect civilians and prevent attacks that he says are aimed at exterminating them on their ancestral land.
He also criticized what he described as Burundi’s involvement in these problems, arguing that policies based on ethnic discrimination should have no place in the region today.
Uvira and Regional Security
In his letter, Kabare also highlighted the importance of the city of Uvira to the livelihoods of communities living in the highlands of Fizi, Uvira and Mwenga, explaining that it has historically served as one of their main routes for accessing goods and food supplies.
He expressed concern over Burundi’s position that its national security depends on controlling security developments in eastern Congo, as well as its view of Uvira as a strategic gateway for safeguarding its security.
He questioned whether Burundi’s security should come at the cost of the lives or even the destruction of the Banyamulenge community.
He emphasized that the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Burundi are sovereign states, and that security concerns should not be used as a justification for interfering in the lives of residents of the Hauts-Plateaux.
Kabare’s Final Appeal to Kabila
In concluding his letter, Kabare urged Joseph Kabila to treat the situation of the Banyamulenge as an emergency, emphasizing that it is fundamentally a matter of human life and therefore deserves special priority in the FRN’s agenda.
He expressed the view that the FRN has the capacity to help establish humanitarian access routes for these communities, prevent further attacks and ensure that residents can obtain essential supplies.
He concluded by expressing hope that Joseph Kabila and the FRN leadership would recognize the seriousness of his appeal and take action to assist the population of the Hauts-Plateaux of Minembwe.
The letter was signed by William Kabare Girinka, an analyst on security and political affairs in eastern Congo and the wider Great Lakes region.
Minembwe Capital News (MCN)