The meeting, addressed by Corneille Nangaa, the leader of the political-military coalition, had kicked off well, with a mammoth crowd in attendance. However, all hell broke loose after the explosion of bombs, forcing the residents, who had been in a cheerful mood, singing songs, to scamper for safety.
The exact number of casualties is yet to be disclosed.
#RDC: Corneille Nangaa dénonce une attaque meurtrière de Félix Tshisekedi sur le lieu du meeting populaire de ce jeudi 27 février 2025 à la place du 24 de Bukavu. Trois bombes ont été larguées sur des foules innombrables tuant plusieurs congolais. L'AFC/M23 condamne avec la… pic.twitter.com/oXxdUEudtL
â€" Steve Wembi (@wembi_steve) February 27, 2025
Bertrand Bisimwa, the president of the M23 rebel group, accused President Felix Tshisekedi's government of targeting civilians while also seeking to eliminate Nangaa.
"Mr. Tshisekedi's regime has just carried out the threat that has been circulating since yesterday on social networks, targeting the civilian population who would participate in the AFC/M23 meeting. The day was planned, according to the authors of the threat, for the physical elimination of the Coordinator Corneille Nangaa," Bisimwa said in a statement shared on social media condemning the attack.
"This Thursday, February 27, 2025, a few minutes after the meeting, the forces of evil dropped bombs on the civilian population gathered at the meeting site, causing several deaths and injuriesâ€"all innocent civilians. We condemn this barbarity of the regime in place, which has reached an unacceptable level."
The M23 leader said the attacks had been widespread in recent days, affecting several villages despite a ceasefire.
"For several days, the Kinshasa regime has been dropping bombs, using drones, on densely populated villages in South Kivu during the ceasefire period, far from the front lines."
The meeting came weeks after the rebel group seized Bukavu and Goma, tightening its grip in the eastern Congo where a fight with the government forces has been going on for a while.
The M23 rebel group accuses the Congolese government of ethnic persecution against Kinyarwanda-speaking Congolese, which has caused hundreds of thousands of residents to flee to neighbouring countries.
At today's meeting, Nangaa promised to liberate Uvira in two days and appoint a new governor for South Kivu Province, just like they did in North Kivu following the capture of Goma.
'I promise you that in two days, we will be at Uvira to restore security. In Bukavu, we will appoint the new governor, two vice-governors, the mayor of the city, three mayors, and territorial administrators,' he stated.
Wycliffe Nyamasege
