Struggles of congolese soldiers’ wives amid M23 rebel advances

As the M23 rebels, supported by Rwanda, push further into South Kivu province in eastern Congo, the wives of the missing Congolese soldiers find themselves grappling with uncertainty, facing a harsh reality filled with unanswered questions and unstable living conditions.

In Goma’s Furaha Primary School, these women and their families have taken refuge, sleeping in classrooms and spending their days in the schoolyard.

Francine Nkanga expresses her distress, stating that her children are hungry and in pain.

They were previously residing in the Katindo military camp in Goma until they were forced to leave.

“We were told to vacate when new soldiers arrived, claiming our husbands were their adversaries. This led us to seek shelter in this school,” she shared.

By late January, M23 had seized control of Goma after a weeks-long offensive, capturing vital towns surrounding this strategic city, which has long been a center for humanitarian efforts in a region plagued by conflict.

Following M23’s takeover, numerous Congolese soldiers, along with members of government-aligned militias and police, were seen being loaded into trucks under the watch of the rebels, reportedly heading to training camps.

The fate of these men remains unknown.

Families residing at Furaha School report that they have had no communication with their military relatives since M23’s rise to power.

Mwamini Tusawe mentioned that while she and her children have found temporary shelter, they are being asked to leave so classes can resume.

She lamented their lack of funds for food or accommodation, adding, “We don’t even know if our husbands are still alive.”

Her son, Tresor, 21, attempted to reach his father by phone, but the line was disconnected. “The children are unwell, and we have no updates from our father. It fills us with worry,” he said.

Buhuma Hangi, the school’s director, stated that he has no choice in the matter, as the new authorities—M23—have instructed him to reopen the school.

The rebels have committed to establishing an administration in Goma and have instructed residents to resume their daily routines.

Hangi expressed that this situation has put him in a tough position, as military families will be left without a place to stay. “The classrooms are filled with military wives and children. Personally, I’m at a loss for what to do,” he stated.