Speaking on the latest episode of The Long Form Podcast, hosted by Sanny Ntayombya in Goma, Ngarambe shared his inspiring journey from stateless refugee to provincial leader, outlining his vision for peace and inclusion under the Alliance of Forces for Change (AFC)/M23 administration.
Born in 1985 in South Kivu, Ngarambe's early life was defined by persecution. As a Congolese Tutsi, he faced systemic discrimination in a country where Kinyarwanda-speaking communities have long been branded as outsiders.
The 1994 Genocide against Tutsis in neighbouring Rwanda triggered a wave of violence that spilt into Congo, forcing Ngarambe's family to flee when he was eight.
'They hunted us down,' he recalled, describing how his uncle was brutally killed and his father disappeared after being captured by government forces. Ngarambe, his mother, and siblings endured a harrowing 400-kilometre trek, imprisonment, and starvation before reaching refugee camps in Rwanda.
Life in camps like Mudende and Nkamira brought further trauma. In 1997, attacks on Mudende killed thousands, leaving Ngarambe, then 12, haunted by the sound of bullets.
'Nothing is left for me to fear,' he said, reflecting on how those experiences forged his resilience.
After stints in Uganda's Nakivale camp, Ngarambe resettled in Canada in 2013, where he built a stable life with his wife and three children. Yet, the plight of his people never left him.
'I told my brother, 'You can't leave what's burning inside you,'' he said, explaining his return to activism from the diaspora.
In February 2025, just days after AFC/M23 took control of Goma, Ngarambe was unexpectedly named Vice Governor.
Thrust into leadership, he has overseen rapid changes in North Kivu's capital. In just 100 days, his administration restored water to neighbourhoods that lacked it for over a decade, provided 24-hour electricity, and reduced violent crime in areas like Ndosho, once a hotspot for kidnappings.
'People are waking up to a new realityâ€"no bullets, water in every neighbourhood,' Ngarambe said.
According to him, market prices have also dropped, with a bag of potatoes falling from $120 to affordable levels, easing the burden on residents.
Ngarambe's vision extends beyond infrastructure. He aims to end the marginalisation of Congolese Tutsis and other Kinyarwanda-speaking communities, whose citizenship was stripped in the 1980s.
'Being Tutsi shouldn't be a death sentence,' he asserted, emphasising inclusive governance that protects all ethnic groups. His administration is resolving land disputesâ€"often a source of deadly conflictâ€"through dialogue, fostering handshakes over bloodshed.
He also called on the Congolese diaspora to return, urging them to bring skills to rebuild the region.
Amid criticism from a section of the international community over the operations of the rebel group, Ngarambe said his administration remains committed to changing people's lives.
He also dismissed claims that the group is backed by Rwanda, describing them as 'old propaganda.'
"The Rwanda accusation is old propaganda. Kinshasa uses it to deflect from its failures. We're Congolese, fighting for Congolese rights. If Rwanda supports us, where's the evidence? Show me the troops, the weapons," he said, arguing that the government's arming of militias like the FDLRâ€"comprising remnants of those responsible for the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwandaâ€"has fueled instability.
"It's a lie to rally their base and gain foreign sympathy," he added.
Addressing reports of cash flow challenges caused by the closure of banks in Goma by the Kinshasa administration, he acknowledged it remains a challenge but noted that local markets are still vibrant, supported by the AFC/M23-backed CADECO Bank, which reopened in April.
Watch the full podcast below:
Wycliffe Nyamasege
