Jean Pierre Bemba: We can not allow Rwanda to take our land

Jean-Pierre Bemba, Vice Prime Minister of Transport and Communications, visited Isiro, the main city of Haut-Uélé province in northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo, on Tuesday. His goal was to encourage young people to join the national forces in large numbers to fight against Rwanda and its allies.

Upon landing at Isiro’s national airport, Bemba headed to the city center. There, he addressed thousands of locals, mainly young people, during a public rally.

He urged the youth, who are physically capable, to heed President Félix Tshisekedi’s call to defend the country’s territorial integrity.

As a former Defense Minister and veteran fighter, Bemba emphasized that the President is committed to achieving peace in the eastern part of the country. This effort, he explained, involves diplomatic, political, and military measures to ensure that no foreign nation claims any part of Congolese land.

“This is the time to stand firm. As it’s often said: we may have lost a battle, but not the war. What happened before cannot happen again, and the President is working tirelessly to restore peace. Young people aged 18 and above, let’s stand together—it’s about our land. We cannot allow Rwanda to take it from us,” he stated.

In response to Rwandan aggression, Bemba has been touring several provinces for weeks, urging young people to join the army. In the Greater Eastern region, his aim is to see at least 100,000 youths answer the President’s call to defend their nation.