Inside the Wazalendo Resistance Against Rwanda’s Invasion

Introduction – Who Are the Wazalendo?

In the hills of North Kivu, a movement has emerged at the heart of the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s struggle for sovereignty. Calling themselves Wazalendo "patriots” in Kiswahili, these community militias have mobilised to repel the Rwanda‑backed M23 rebellion that has overrun parts of the province since 2021. To many locals, the Wazalendo are the last line of defence against a foreign‑supported insurgency; to critics, they risk fueling militia violence. This article traces their origins, operations, and the propaganda war that surrounds them.

The Rise of the Patriots

Eastern Congo’s wars have repeatedly drawn in Rwanda. Rwandan invasions in the 1990s triggered conflicts that killed over 7 million Congolese. The latest crisis began in late 2021, when the Tutsi‑led M23 rebellion, backed by Rwandan troops, according to UN experts, surged across North Kivu. By January 2025, it had reached Goma, leaving roughly 7000 dead and displacing hundreds of thousands.

Faced with an emboldened insurgency and an under‑resourced army, President Félix Tshisekedi made a televised appeal in November 2022, urging young Congolese to form vigilance groups to help the armed forces. Mai‑Mai factions and community militias met in the town of Pinga and agreed to unite against M23. The government then legalised their participation in the national defence and branded the coalition Wazalendo “patriots”. Recruits include farmers, former rebels, and displaced youth; the military says roughly 40,000 volunteers have been trained. As one fighter put it: “Before, they called us rebels. Today, we are Wazalendo, and we no longer hide. Our slogan says it all: La Patrie ou la Mort  ‘Homeland or Death."

On the Ground – Holding the Line

The Wazalendo have fought primarily in three strategic areas. Sake, a crossroads town west of Goma, has become a bulwark against the Rwanda-backed M23’s push toward the provincial capital. Reporters from The New Humanitarian found rag‑tag fighters patrolling the streets in rubber boots and mismatched uniforms. Their commander, Gilbert, told them that “suffering is what drives us… We are here to protect our people.”. His men, some barely adults, claim to have repelled repeated assaults on the town.

In the hills of Masisi and the plains of Rutshuru, Wazalendo units and Burundian troops have staged ambushes and blocked supply lines. Civilians say that when national army units withdrew, Wazalendo fighters stayed to “protect our people.” During clashes in April 2025 that left more than a hundred dead in Goma, Reuters quoted Wazalendo leaders insisting they acted in self‑defence after attacks by Rwandan‑backed fighters. Their narrative is one of local communities standing between invaders and the last Congolese city before Lake Kivu.

The People’s Shield – Why Civilians Trust Them

Years of state neglect and a faltering UN peace mission have left many villages defenceless. For those communities, the Wazalendo are often the only armed presence willing to confront M23. Their ranks include young women like Marie Byamwungu, who fled bombardment and later joined the Union of Forces for the Patriotic Defence of Congo; she told Al Jazeera she had endured heavy fighting but was proud to fight. Observers note that Wazalendo fighters often charge ahead of FARDC soldiers, underscoring both their resolve and the army’s weakness.

Unlike older Mai‑Mai factions notorious for looting, Wazalendo leaders emphasise national defence. Héritier Ndagendange of the APCLS declared: “Without our resistance, the enemy would have already taken sake (before the fall of Goma). We are an army.”. Their slogans, “We are not soldiers. We are Wazalendo” and “La patrie ou la mort,” reflect a determination to embody patriotic values. Social media monitoring found that many Congolese commenters describe Wazalendo as patriotic defenders and express deep mistrust of the state and international actors. This mistrust explains why some communities prefer local militias to peacekeepers or foreign soldiers.

The Propaganda War – Narratives and Disinformation

The Wazalendo battle is fought in cyberspace as well as on the hills. Kinshasa accuses Kigali of running disinformation campaigns to portray the militias as thugs and justify Rwanda’s support for M23. Insecurity Insight found that pro‑M23 and anonymous accounts spread narratives casting Wazalendo as criminal gangs, while pro‑Kinshasa voices amplify graphic accounts of rebel atrocities and patriotic slogans. The result is a polarised information space where fact and fiction blur.

Rights groups have raised concerns about isolated abuses committed by some Wazalendo factions, including beatings, extortion, and child recruitment. Even President Tshisekedi has acknowledged the challenge of ensuring discipline among decentralized forces, noting that some units “no longer obey anything.” UN officials caution that collaboration with unregulated groups could expose Congolese commanders to international scrutiny. Yet many in Congo argue that such concerns must be seen in context. Wazalendo rose out of necessity, not choice, to defend communities left exposed by years of broken ceasefires and foreign-backed aggression. As Kinshasa moves forward, the real challenge lies in transforming patriotic resistance into structured, accountable national defense, without abandoning those who stood up when no one else did.

The Meaning of Resistance – National Symbolism and Future Challenges

Despite past controversies, the Wazalendo have become a potent symbol of Congolese resilience. Before his death, the late General Peter Cirimwami, then military governor of North Kivu and now remembered as a national hero, had stressed the need to guide and coordinate their resistance, warning that patriots must not be “like sheep without a shepherd.” Their slogan, “defend the homeland,” revives the spirit of past struggles against Rwandan invasions.

While some analysts argue that patriotism alone cannot guarantee lasting peace, for many Congolese, the Wazalendo represent far more than militias; they are the people’s response to repeated betrayal, occupation, and abandonment. Critics warn of risks tied to informal armed groups, and organizations like the Africa Defense Forum have raised concerns about civilian safety and long-term instability. Yet, in a region where international forces have failed and diplomacy has yielded little, the Wazalendo have become the last line of defense between the people and foreign aggression. Their legacy will not be measured only by military victories, but by how they help reclaim sovereignty and inspire the creation of a stronger, more accountable national defense.