WAR IN EASTERN DRC
Kinshasa Prepares Detailed Plan for Uvira Recovery Phase
DR Congo’s government sent a delegation to Uvira to speed up the restoration of state authority, support refugee returns and reopen the Burundi border.
February 26, 2026 at 9:41:32 PM
May 15, 2026 at 7:03:26 PM
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The delegation from the central government, led by the Deputy Prime Minister of the Interior, Jacquemain Shabani.
Uvira is a strategic town on the Congolese–Burundian border in South Kivu. In early December 2025, the Allied Forces Coalition/Movement of 23 March (AFC–M23) rebellion backed by Rwanda captured Uvira, driving thousands of residents and officials to flee into neighbouring Burundi as cited by Okapi.
Protests also erupted in September 2025 when a new military commander, General Olivier Gasita, was appointed; at least five protesters were killed when FARDC forces opened fire. Analysts warned that militias such as the Wazalendo had effectively replaced state authority in Uvira, describing the situation as “lawless … the state, or what remained of it, no longer exists”. These episodes underscored how fragile the Congolese government’s control was and set the stage for the February 2026 mission.
Arrival of the government delegation
On 25 February 2026 a high‑level delegation from the central government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) arrived in Uvira. The team was led by Jacquemain Shabani, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior, and included Minister of Social Affairs Ève Bazaiba and Minister of Regional Integration Floribert Anzuluni.
They convened an expanded security council in Uvira with South Kivu Governor Jean‑Jacques Purusi. Shabani explained that the mission’s purpose was to restore the state’s presence in this border city after recent security crises: he described their goal as “monitoring initiatives to restore state authority” and said the government would prepare a detailed report on the needs of the first phase of the restoration.
Objectives of the mission
Restore state authority
The mission’s primary goal was to re‑establish the authority of the state. After holding the security council, Shabani stated that the government wanted to ensure that provincial institutions and officials resume their duties:
“The Government is organizing the return of the population, but the restoration of the authority of the State is primarily achieved through the return of the institutions of the Republic … it is essential that every official resumes their post and responsibilities for the benefit of the population”.
This indicates a focus on re‑activating governmental structures and law‑enforcement in an area where militias have filled the vacuum.
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