Corneille Nangaa, the former head of the DRC’s electoral commission who organized the highly controversial 2018 election that led to the rise of President Félix Tshisekedi, has emerged as a key figure in a movement to overthrow the very government he once helped establish.
Nangaa, 54, now leads a coalition composed of Congolese politicians, rebel factions, and insurgent groups, many of which are backed by Rwanda. These alliances have created a volatile political and military situation in the DRC, which has been grappling with years of internal conflict.
Nangaa’s coalition has partnered with Tutsi-led rebel groups, particularly the M23, which has long been active in eastern DRC. These groups have fought multiple rebellions over the past two decades, largely driven by tensions between Tutsi communities in eastern DRC and the Congolese government. In recent months, these forces have made significant territorial gains, capturing border towns and advancing into Goma, a strategic city in the eastern region. The M23’s surprise offensive has forced thousands of civilians to flee their homes, creating an escalating humanitarian crisis.
While the insurgents’ military successes have attracted considerable attention, Nangaa’s ambitions extend beyond simply seizing territory. In a recent statement, he emphasized that his ultimate goal is to “recreate the state,” suggesting that the political and institutional structures within the DRC are fundamentally broken. Nangaa claims to have forged numerous alliances to support his cause, although he has remained vague about the details of these relationships. According to UN experts, a growing number of armed factions are joining Nangaa’s African Front for Change (AFC), with many viewing the M23 rebels as the coalition’s military wing.
International actors have expressed alarm over the escalating conflict. The United Nations, along with France, the UK, and the United States, has urged Rwanda to withdraw its forces from the DRC, citing evidence of Rwandan military support for the M23 and other insurgent groups. Rwanda has consistently denied these accusations, arguing that its support for the rebels is a necessary form of self-defense against attacks from the DRC government.
Nangaa, however, has not denied Rwanda’s involvement, but has also raised concerns that the DRC government is receiving military backing from Burundi. This has further heightened fears that the conflict in the DRC could spill over into a broader regional war, threatening to destabilize Central Africa. With both internal and external actors involved, the situation remains precarious, and international calls for dialogue and peace remain unanswered.
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