DRC Allocates $4M Monthly Fund to Support Wazalendo Forces

The DRC government is moving to structure financial support for Wazalendo fighters through a dual mechanism that includes a monthly USD 4 million fund and a special intervention fund according to to a report.

Finance Minister Doudou Fwamba reportedly told the National Assembly’s Defense and Security Committee that the support is intended to organize, equip and transport Wazalendo fighters operating alongside the FARDC in eastern DRC.

The first mechanism is a monthly fund created within the expenditure chain of the Armed Defense Reserve, known as the RAD. The RAD’s official framework says its mission includes providing temporary reinforcement to the FARDC and maintaining the link between the army and the nation.

A second mechanism involves a special intervention fund granted by the Ministry of Finance to certain regional leaders. The report does not specify how much is allocated through this special fund or how the money is monitored.

The funding plan comes as North Kivu’s Wazalendo networks face reported disorganization following the death of Major General Peter Cirimwami, the former military governor of North Kivu. AP reported in January 2025 that Cirimwami died from injuries sustained during fighting on the front line as M23 advanced near Goma.

The government’s move also raises oversight concerns. Amnesty International has documented abuses by multiple armed actors in eastern DRC, including M23, Wazalendo and FARDC-linked forces, underscoring the risks of formal support without clear accountability.