General Sultani Makenga (left) offered another rare interview to Alain Destexhe
The military commander for AFC-M23 coalition, General Sultani Makenga, says they don’t intend to continue the military offensive and advance as far as Kinshasa unless threatened by the Democratic Republic of Congo forces (FARDC)
In a rare exclusive interview with Alain Destexhe, a Belgian politician and medical professional, Makenga points out the motive of the group and what they are fighting for. Here are some selected excerpts from the interview held in Goma on March 12, 2025.
Makenga says that the DRC President Felix Tshisekedi is “a bandit” and their fight is for survival and for the Congo.
“We are fighting for our survival. It must be understood that we took up arms because we were threatened with extermination. We were not going to let ourselves be exterminated without reacting! It’s a shame the outside world refuses to see this.”
On taking Goma and Bukavu: Makenga said, “It wasn’t one of our objectives, but from Goma, the FARDC and other forces were pounding our positions and the civilian populations under our control. We could no longer tolerate this. Then, the FARDC and Burundian forces were regrouping from Bukavu and receiving supplies from Kavumu airport. So we had to take Bukavu to eliminate this threat.”
Though the FARDC continue to attack these communities with drones from Kisangani, Makenga says that they have a cause to defend with no option but with intent to negotiate.
“We have a cause to defend, and our soldiers are determined. Moreover, we have no other option: it’s victory or disappearance. Our adversaries are not in that situation. Unlike the FARDC, our soldiers do not receive a salary. They fight out of conviction and patriotism with determination.”
The M23 and the DRC are expected to meet in Angola on March 18 for negotiations under the Luanda Process. Makenga says that they are ready to go into negotiations.
“Of course, we want to negotiate, but at this stage we have only learned of Angola’s position, but we have not yet heard anything from Kinshasa.”
On the presence of Romanian mercenaries who fought alongside the FARDC: “It’s unfair to come from Europe to our country to kill people who are defending their rights. The world should be shocked, but apparently it isn’t.”
On the FDLR, a remnant Rwandan force in the DRC that committed the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi, Makenga said that they have hidden among the population and are a source of insecurity in the region.
On the accusations against M23 forces for kidnapping wounded people at Heal Africa Hospital, Makenga said, “Ex-FARDC members were pretending to be sick or nurses. We found 14 weapons there. It was hospital staff members who alerted us to this situation. We arrested those who didn’t need to be in the hospital. There are wounded FARDC members in all the city’s hospitals, and we don’t target them. You can check that out.”
Asked what he thinks of President Félix Tshisekedi, Makenga said that he has no love for his country, he’s a bandit and always has been.
