Félix Tshilombo Reappoints Lieutenant General Fall Sikabwe as Head of AFRIDEX and Strengthens the Skills of the Ministry of Defense

Responsible for the production of all explosives, civilian and military ammunition, weapons, and other similar or related products, including their accessories, Félix Tshilombo intends to give new impetus to Africaine d'Explosifs (AFRIDEX). It is one of the five bodies comprising the Ministry of National Defense, namely: the General Secretariat, the General Staff, the FARDC General Inspectorate, CISM, and AFRIDEX.

Following a series of ordinances read out on Wednesday, September 3, 2025, concerning national radio and television, Félix Tshisekedi signed the ordinance amending and supplementing Ordinance No. 16/051 of May 3, 2016, establishing the organization and operation of this public service by further strengthening the responsibilities of the Ministry of National Defense in this service.

Articles 8, 10, and 11 of Ordinance No. 16/051 of May 3, 2016, establishing the organization and operation of a public service called AFRIDEX, are amended and supplemented as follows:

• Article 8: AFRIDEX is headed by a Director General, assisted by a Deputy Director General responsible for technical and operational matters and a Deputy Director General responsible for administrative and financial matters. The Director General and the Deputy Directors General are appointed and, if necessary, removed from office by the President of the Republic upon a proposal from the government, deliberated in the Council of Ministers, after hearing the High Council of Defense; they may be suspended by order of the Minister responsible for National Defense with the express authorization of the President of the Republic;

• Article 10: The Director General directs, coordinates, and monitors all AFRIDEX activities. In this capacity, he or she exercises the following responsibilities: management of human and financial resources, as well as current and future movable and immovable property made available to AFRIDEX; proposal to the Minister responsible for National Defense of measures aimed at reforming and modernizing AFRIDEX; development of a multi-year strategic plan; proposal at the beginning of each year to the Minister responsible for National Defense of measures aimed at mobilizing revenue; The submission at the end of each year to the Minister responsible for National Defense of the evaluation report on the measures referred to in points 2 and 4 above; the Director General may delegate one or more of his responsibilities to the Deputy Directors General;

• Article 11: The Deputy Directors General assist the Director General in the performance of his duties; provide their opinions on matters submitted to them and replace them in the event of absence or impediment, in accordance with the order of precedence determined by the order of their appointments; they carry out all the tasks assigned to them by the Director General.

In another presidential order, also read on the RTNC, Félix Tshilombo decided to reappoint Lieutenant General Sikabwe Asinda Fall as head of AFRIDEX. In this position, he will be assisted by Marcel Mbuyu Kyungu and Serge Bokana Ekakumba, Deputy Directors General responsible for technical and operational matters, as well as administrative and financial matters, respectively.

The history of explosives production and management in the DRC dates back structurally to 1948 with the Poudrières Réunies de Belgique (United Powder Mills of Belgium), which, following several restructurings, became Africaine d'Explosifs (AFRIDEX). Under Law No. 11/012 of August 11, 2011, on the organization and operation of the FARDC, Afridex is included among the bodies comprising the Ministry of National Defense.

Ordinance 16/051 of May 3, 2016, organizes it as a public service and clearly assigns its responsibilities. Under the conditions stipulated by the laws and regulations of the Republic, AFRIDEX exclusively exercises the following missions and prerogatives throughout the national territory: the production of all explosives, civilian and military munitions, weapons, and other similar or related products, including their accessories, and the performance of all operations and services directly or indirectly related to this activity.

According to the information collected on its website, AFRIDEX may enter into partnership or concession agreements to improve the provision of its services, in return for remuneration collected from users, necessary to finance its activities. The monopoly and exclusivity granted to it put an end to the liberalism that existed in this sensitive sector and make it the sole provider in this area. This is the only entry point because it guarantees the regulation and traceability of explosives.

From production, through marketing, to final use. The same applies to imports and exports.

This is to protect this high-risk and strategic material from being exposed to everyone and to prevent its use for criminal and/or terrorist purposes. With this in mind, any explosive imported, manufactured, transported, stored, handled, or used in the DRC must be authorized by a certificate, attestation, or special authorization issued by AFRIDEX for all useful purposes. AFRIDEX works in partnership with users who comply with current regulations to ensure a continuous supply of explosives to the country.

Producing, manufacturing, possessing, and using explosives without prior authorization constitutes a criminal offense. Any producer or user of explosives has a legal and moral duty of care in compliance with legal and regulatory texts through AFRIDEX, which is the competent authority for issuing any document relating to explosives throughout the national territory. AFRIDEX enforces all relevant regulations to guarantee users their right to import, produce, acquire, handle, transport, store, and use explosives. All of these activities are controlled through the documentation process issued by AFRIDEX to determine their quality, quantity, and flow.

The headquarters of this service is located in Likasi, in the Haut Katanga province. In this position, Lieutenant General Fall Sikabwe, formerly Chief of Staff of the FARDC Land Forces and Operations Coordinator in North Kivu Province, succeeded Grand Admiral Baudouin Liwanga.

Situation in Uvira and baraka gets more tense

The situation remains tense in the towns of Uvira and Baraka, in the Fizi territory, South Kivu province, in the east of the DRC. The population is expressing its anger at the decision of President Félix Tshisekedi to send Brigadier General Olivier_Gasita as commander of operations and intelligence in the region. In Uvira, the road to Kavimvira is barricaded for the third consecutive day of the "dead city". In Fizi, all activities are paralyzed in the town of Baraka, where the population accuses Félix Tshisekedi of sacrificing the Wazalendo for the benefit of the Doha agreements.Deputy minister in charge of defence ,Kabombo is expected in Uvira this afternoon.

IGG Orders Kisoro District Officials to Refund Shs 14M in Embezzled Funds.

 The Inspectorate of Government has directed 17 out of 20 Kisoro District Production Department officers implicated in the embezzlement of UGX 14,053,825 from the Agricultural Extension Fund to refund the money.

Earlier this month, the Inspector General of Government (IGG) instructed Kisoro District Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) John Nyakahuma to take disciplinary action after investigations revealed that the officers had falsely accounted for funds meant for agricultural extension activities in Quarter One of the 2023/2024 financial year.

The directive, issued by Deputy Inspector General of Government (DIGG) Anne Twinomugisha Muhairwe, followed findings by the IG Kabale Regional Office which established that the officials forged documents and submitted false accountabilities to claim refunds.

The accused officers include:

Augustine Baryaruha, Assistant Fisheries Officer (UGX 768,150)

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Alice Munezero, Agricultural Officer, Muramba Sub-county (UGX 693,000)

Lilian Nyirabuntu, Agricultural Officer, Chahi Sub-county (UGX 406,075)

Jolly Kampire, Assistant Veterinary Officer, Nyakinama Sub-county (UGX 868,000)

Arinaitwe Dinah, Assistant Veterinary Officer, Chahi Sub-county (UGX 627,000)

Sunday Amon, Veterinary Officer, Muramba Sub-county (UGX 768,000)

Ndashimye Barnabas, Veterinary Officer, Nyundo Sub-county (UGX 793,000)

Sabiti Alex, Agricultural Officer, Nyundo Sub-county (UGX 643,000)

Tumwizere Edward, Agricultural Officer, Nyabwishenya Sub-county (UGX 758,150)

Nkurunziza Robert, Agricultural Officer, Murora Sub-county (UGX 768,150)

Thomas Byiringiro, Veterinary Officer, Nyarubuye Sub-county (UGX 868,150)

Stephen Balikudembe, Agricultural Officer, Kirundo Sub-county (UGX 504,000)

General Olivier Gasita,the new commander of operations in Manyema /kindu region as Congolese remain annoyed accusing him of abandoning Bukavu during the M23 attack

 

How can General Olivier Gasita, who was commander of operations in South Kivu when the city of Bukavu fell, now be appointed commander of the Maniema/Kindu region?He was recently summoned to Kinshasha where he was given the new appointment.

Congolese  say that As commander of operations, he should have been summoned to explain why the city of Bukavu was abandoned three days before the arrival of the RDF/M23 forces. Then they'll say tribalism.

Was he rewarded for preventing the soldiers from fighting, or what really happened? 

Who is General Gasita?

He was Lt Gen Pacifique Masunzu's former deputy during his Mai Mai-led rebellion against RDF-RCD forces (2000–2002), Olivier Gasita, has been promoted to Brig Gen and appointed to South Kivu and Maniema, where he will oversee operations and intelligence under the 33rd Military Region.

Like Pacifique Masunzu, Olivier Gasita is a Munyamulenge from South Kivu who fought against RDF-RCD forces before integrating into FARDC in 2003. He also took part in operations against RDF-CNDP (2006  to 2009) under FARDC command.

Olivier Gasita was the military administrator of Yumbi Territory and is credited for bringing peace to Yumbi between the Batende and Banunu communities. He was deployed there as a military sector commander to stop the intercommunal massacres in December 2018.

In 2019, President Félix Tshisekedi appointed him as the military administrator of Yumbi Territory. He has left Yumbi as one of the safest territories in DRC.

The Wazalendo recapture Rugezi,a big lesson and reason to reckon on!

Good morning, good evening, depending on what time you're listening. A decisive turning point has just occurred in South Kivu. The strategic village of Rugezi, the gateway to the last stronghold of the Twirwaneho and their allies, has been recaptured by the Wazalendo with the support of the FA-RDC air force. This victory, the result of a fierce battle, highlights the determination of Congolese patriots in the face of Rwandan aggression and its proxies.

But beyond the military feat, a fundamental question now faces President Félix Tshisekedi: how far will he go to defend the sovereignty of the DRC? And where does he place his true red line with Kagame and the RDF? It is this burning and vital question that we will explore in this analysis.

Rugezi: A Parable of the Congolese Resistance

In this landlocked village in Fizi territory, the people, through their sons and daughters united under the banner of the Wazalendo, have shown that the DRC is not a land abandoned to the appetites of Kigali. The intense and prolonged fighting revealed not only the ferocity of the Twirwaneho, Ngumino, MaiMai Android, and Red Tabara coalition militias, but also their fragility in the face of a popular will united with the regular army.

Rugazi, due to its geographical location, constitutes a strategic barrier providing access to the high plateau of Minembwe and the rear areas of the strongholds of these armed groups. Its recapture therefore marks a military and psychological shift, likely to precipitate the fall of several of Kagame's auxiliary networks.

Local accounts describe a battle that lasted nearly 24 hours, punctuated by repeated assaults and violent retaliation. But the tactical superiority provided by the FA-RDC air force turned the tide. For the first time in a long time, the Rwandan reinforcements, who had attempted to establish a solid defensive line, were decimated in considerable numbers. This demonstrates that, with a combination of popular courage and modern military means, the aggressor is not invincible.

The AFC/M23's angry statement denouncing the attack only confirms the extent of their setback.

A military victory... but a political test

This victory raises a broader, political question that transcends the battlefield: what is Félix Tshisekedi's real red line? For months, Kigali has been multiplying its provocations, advancing its pawns in North and South Kivu, and attempting to manipulate public opinion with the tired argument of protecting local populations.

For now, Kinshasa has oscillated between occasional military responses and diplomatic appeals. The people's patience is eroding. In the streets of Bukavu, Goma, and Kinshasa, a cry is rising: "Mr. President, how far will you let Kagame trample on our territory?"

For many Congolese, the red line has already been crossed: the three-year occupation of Bunagana, massacres in Kishishe, abuses in the Hauts Plateaux, systematic infiltration of the local administration... Each time, the people see the enemy advancing, testing, and nibbling away, while international appeals are limited to verbal condemnations.

The recent history of the DRC, since the 1996 invasions, shows a consistent pattern: Kigali advances as long as Kinshasa hesitates. To ask Tshisekedi about the red line is to invite him to transform Rugezi's one-off victory into a national strategic doctrine.

The Wazalendo: Symbiosis between Army and People

The Battle of Rugezi also illustrates the central role of the Wazalendo. These patriots, drawn from civil society, villages, and towns, fight without regular pay and often with rudimentary resources. Yet, they embody the anger and resilience of a people who reject humiliation.

Their alliance, sometimes spontaneous, with the FARDC demonstrates that national defense can no longer be solely a matter for the general staff. Through Rugezi, a lesson in popular sovereignty is being given. But it is also a warning: if the political authorities delay in clearly drawing their red line, the people risk taking it upon themselves, with all the risks of anarchy that this entails.

Tshisekedi Faces His Historic Dilemma

Félix Tshisekedi is therefore faced with a crucial choice:

• Persist in an approach of diplomatic restraint, at the risk of seeing Kagame consolidate his positions and trivialize the occupation of Congolese territory.

• Cross the line, declare a clear and irrevocable red line, trigger a total mobilization of the nation, and put an end to the ambiguity.

In the history of great nations under attack, this moment of truth always occurs: France in 1940 against Germany, Angola against South African apartheid, Burkina Faso today against terrorism. The DRC has reached its moment of reckoning.

Rugezi must not remain an isolated episode. It must become a symbol, a rallying cry, proof that victory is possible. But for this to happen, we need:

• A clear political vision,

• A coherent military doctrine,

• And above all, a President who fully assumes his responsibility as Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces.

The Red Line: A Sovereignty Issue

What, Mr. President, is your red line?

• Is it Bunagana, Goma, occupied Bukavu?

• Is it Minembwe liberated?

• Is it the RDF's advance to the outskirts of Bukavu?

Or is it, as some fear, a shifting line, retreating according to diplomatic pressure and compromises imposed by the major powers?

If Tshisekedi wants to be remembered as the President who restored Congo's sovereignty, he must transform Rugezi's victory into the starting point for a total reconquest, and not just a blip.The red line he draws—or refuses to draw—will determine the future of Congo and the image he leaves in history.

M23 and Wazalendo clashes in Kibanda today morning

 Clashes between AFC/M23 rebels and the Wazalendo resumed this Friday, August 29, in Kibanda in the Osso Banyungu sector of Masisi territory in North Kivu. 

Since  morning , detonations of heavy and light weapons have been heard in the combat zone.     

According to our sources in the area, it was the third consecutive day of fighting between the belligerents. This situation  created a panic among the residents who were beginning to return to the villages in the Waloa Yungu group, close to the combat zone, to prepare for their children's return to school.

 The security situation remains unclear as the fightings continue.

Our sources located in that area told us that the battle began  27/08/2025, where they fought until nightfall and and  morning 28/08/2025, they fought again.

Our sources also confirmed that the Wazalendo had badly damaged the RDF-M23/RED  in the Twirwaneho/MaiMai Rushaba/Twirwaneho/FNL Nzabampema camp and the Wazalendo had already captured the main strongholds of the RDF terrorists in the Rugezi area.

Reliable information has been received from our sources confirming that in yesterday's battle, 8 RDF-M23/Twirwaneho/Maimai Rushaba/RED Tabara/FNL Nzabampema terrorists were killed and 15 were injured with the battle that contained in Bikarakara.

In these fightings ,many prominent Banyamulenge soldiers are allegedly reported to have been killed in unclear circumstances.

A case of Brigade commander Muhirwa Mustapha, son of Mushapa, a Basinzira resident, was reportedly killed last in the fighting in Rugezi by what they say is FAKE DRONE attack.

One resident in the area has this to say;

"Imagine these DRONEs targeting the Basinzira family only because his death was allegedly caused by him telling Col Sematama that he had betrayed his colleague, Col Makanika.

He was killed by his own people because he had been at odds with Col Sematama for days because Col Mustapha had told Col. Semata without hesitation that he was the one who betrayed Col. Makanika."

This is Col. Mustapha wa RDF / Twirwaneho / Maimai Rushaba Red Tabara / M23 / Fnl He was allegedly killed by tCol. Charles Sematama on blames that he assertively told Col. Sematama Charles That He was one who betrayed Col.Michel Rukunda Makanika.You should  know that this Col.Mustapha was the a close relative of Col. Michael Rukunda Makanika who was  also killed.

The Battalion  commander,Major MUGENZA OF RDF / Twirwaneho / Red Tabara was also killed in these fights .

We  have learned that the days ago ,he and Mustafa told Col. Sematama that he betrayed Col. Makanika.

 MAJOR MUGENZA  was also a close relative of COL.RUkunda MICHEL MAKANIKA.

An ADF incursion on oicha-mamove road

An ADF incursion was reported in a neighborhood on the outskirts of the Beni territorial capital, in Oicha, on the Oicha–Mamove road, on the afternoon of August 26, 2025, during heavy rain.

Faced with this attack, the population was forced to move in the pouring rain.

This incursion comes as the Military Governor of North Kivu, Major General Somo Kakule Evariste, is on a working trip to Oicha to address issues related to the previous ADF attack.

He is accompanied by several elected national and provincial deputies from North Kivu.