In a wooden hall on the foothills of North Kivu, hundreds of men and women sit in neat lines—listening not to government instructors, but to commanders of the M23 rebel movement. It is the final day of a two-week “re-education” course.
M23’s leader, Sultani Makenga, asks a question that lands like a declaration: Can only force liberate Congo from misrule in Kinshasa?
The hall shouts back in unison: “Yes, Commander!”
This is not just training. It is the shaping of a political narrative—part of a broader project to transform a rebellion into something resembling a government.
Training citizens to believe in a new state
Participants learn how to handle weapons and perform basic military drills, but the program’s main focus is ideological: Congo’s history, the failures of governance, and M23’s vision of a new federal state rooted in discipline, sacrifice and “proper leadership.”
At the heart of this curriculum is a 32-page M23 charter—now circulating not only among fighters but also among civilians.
This is not merely armed rebellion; it is political education.
Diplomacy on paper, war on the ground
In Washington, a Trump-led diplomatic ceremony recently produced promises of peace between Congo and Rwanda. But the agreement did not include M23—one of the main actors on the ground.
A day after the signatures, heavy fighting continued in eastern Congo.
M23 took part instead in separate talks hosted in Doha—and meanwhile expanded control and recruitment back home.
Diplomacy may be happening in capitals, but the war is being decided in the hills.
The rise of a parallel administration
Over the past year, M23 has built structures that resemble a functioning state:
- appointment of provincial governors and mayors
- collection of taxes
- issuance of travel visas
- repair of roads
- dispute-settlement mechanisms
- its own financial networks
The goal is not simply to control territory, but to govern it.
Residents say the rebels have restored some order after years of chaos, yet strict rules and heavy oversight define everyday life.
A rapidly expanding military force
According to UN analysts, the group now has around 14,000 combatants—nearly triple the size of last year.
Some Congolese soldiers have defected; others joined after surrendering. UN investigations also point to modern weapons and training believed to originate from Rwanda—despite Kigali’s official denial.
M23 is no longer fighting just to survive; it is consolidating territory.
The mineral economy: the real battlefield
Eastern Congo is home to some of the most valuable minerals in the world:
- coltan
- gold
- tin
- cobalt
M23 has seized 45 mining sites, including the Rubaya mine, which alone produces 15% of the world’s coltan—used in smartphones, advanced electronics and aerospace systems.
UN investigators estimate the rebels earn up to $800,000 a month from taxation and smuggling networks through Rwanda.
Minerals aren’t just an economic resource—they are the engine of the war.
A conflict rooted in history and identity
This region has lived through decades of displacement, genocide trauma, and ethnic violence.
After the 1994 Rwandan genocide, militias flowed into Congo, followed by Rwandan forces. A spiral of wars eventually killed millions.
Today, M23—dominated by ethnic Tutsis—claims to defend communities in the east and accuses Kinshasa of abandoning them, echoing grievances that fueled earlier rebellions.
History here never ends—it mutates.
The future: federation or fragmentation?
Analysts warn that if peace talks collapse and M23 solidifies its authority, Congo may face two possible futures:
1️⃣ a weak federal state
2️⃣ or a de facto partition
Either scenario reshapes Congo’s national identity—and regional geopolitics.
As one researcher put it: “This is not merely rebellion; it is state-formation.”
Life under M23: order and fear
Ten months into rebel control, residents report better security on the streets of Goma and Bukavu—but also fear, surveillance and restrictions.
“You can walk at night now,” one resident says. “But you must follow the rules. Otherwise—be careful.”
A calmer city, but an anxious society.
M23’s project can be summarized in one line:
Build a state where the government collapsed—and keep it.
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