Because Wazalendo rejected Gen. Gasita and the government did nothing about it, some FARDC soldiers have deserted.
Two soldiers from the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC)—one with the rank of Captain and another a Sergeant—have defected and joined the Alliance Fleuve Congo coalition (AFC/M23/MRDP-Twirwaneho). This comes after Wazalendo refused Brigadier General Olivier Gasita to lead military operations in Uvira, South Kivu Province.
The two soldiers are Captain Gakunzi and a Sergeant. Reports indicate both were born in South Kivu and belong to the Banyamulenge ethnic group.
On the evening of Tuesday, September 22, 2025, they were received by M23 and Twirwaneho forces in Nyangezi, a few kilometers from Bukavu, the provincial capital of South Kivu.
According to them, they had been stationed in the hills controlled by the DRC army, the FDLR, and Wazalendo, above the town of Kaziba in Walungu Territory.
In February 2025, Kaziba was captured by AFC/M23/MRDP after heavy fighting with DRC forces. The battle ended with government troops retreating into the surrounding hills.
The defectors explained that they left FARDC because Wazalendo treated them as “foreigners” in their own country, and at times even branded them as enemies of the nation.
They also said that when Wazalendo blocked General Olivier Gasita from commanding operations in Uvira—despite him being officially deployed there by the president earlier this September—the government did nothing about it. This deepened their frustration with the army.
While on the run, Wazalendo ambushed them with heavy gunfire. They narrowly escaped on foot and continued their journey until reaching their destination.
They have since been welcomed into the rebel ranks, bringing with them two AK-47 rifles, smaller firearms, and grenades.
A family member of Captain Gakunzi expressed joy over his defection, saying:
“He escaped last night. He is in Nyangezi. He was tired of the constant humiliation! The fact that he found others who also rejected that mistreatment is something we celebrate greatly.”
The relative added:
“He was already functioning as a Major, though it had not yet been officially confirmed. He had been waiting for it. But those little tricks of Tshisekedi’s regime mean nothing—what matters is that he left that so-called government.”