Thousands of protesters gathered outside the North Kivu Province Governor's offices in the Himbi neighbourhood of Goma, voicing their anger against President Tshisekedi's administration.
The protests, which involved residents and refugees who had fled various parts of the region, were fueled by the recent surge in targeted killings of Congolese Tutsi, among other grievances.
The demonstrators are calling for the immediate resignation of President Tshisekedi and the withdrawal of foreign forces, including troops from the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the United Nations peacekeeping mission (MONUSCO), and Burundian military personnel.
The unrest follows the recent capture of Goma by the M23 rebels, who took control of the city earlier this week after intense clashes with Congolese government forces.
The capture of Goma marked a significant victory for the M23, which has long opposed the Congolese government's handling of the region and the systematic persecution of Kinyarwanda-speaking Congolese.
The protests are a direct challenge to Tshisekedi's leadership, with many locals voicing frustration over what they perceive as the government's failure to address the ongoing violence and instability in North Kivu.
The demonstrators are demanding not only a change in leadership but also the restoration of security and stability to the region, which has been plagued by armed conflict for years.
The M23 rebel group, based in North Kivu, has been vocal in its criticism of the Congolese government.
In a press conference on Thursday, AFC/M23 political head Corneille Nangaa reiterated the group's stance, stating that the rebels would continue their march of liberation toward Kinshasa until their demands were addressed.
Nangaa criticized the Congolese administration for poor governance and vowed that the M23 would not retreat from Goma until their grievances were resolved.
"We are in Goma and we will not leave... for as long as the questions for which we took up arms have not been answered," he told journalists at Serena Hotel Goma.
"We are Congolese. We will continue the march of liberation to Kinshasa. When they ask us to retreat, where do they want us to go? We are not going anywhere," he added.
He also promised that the group would restore essential services like water and electricity to the city within 48 hours, after these services were cut off by the government during the recent battles.
Wycliffe Nyamasege
