Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi has announced plans to establish a government of national unity in response to mounting pressure over his handling of the escalating crisis in the country’s eastern provinces. The decision, revealed by his spokesperson Tina Salama on Saturday, he faces increasing scrutiny for his military strategy against the Rwanda-backed M23 rebels.
The ongoing conflict in North and South Kivu provinces has seen the M23 rebel group seize large swathes of land, including areas rich in valuable minerals. This has not only heightened fears of a broader regional war but also deepened domestic dissatisfaction with the government’s response. Critics argue that Tshisekedi’s leadership has been ineffective in countering the rebels, and some members of the opposition have even predicted that his presidency may not last.
During a meeting of the ruling Sacred Union coalition on Saturday, he urged his allies to put aside internal disputes and rally together. “We must unite … let’s stand together to face the enemy,” he said, emphasizing the need for national solidarity in the face of external threats.
However, opposition figures remain skeptical about he’s move to form a unity government. Herve Diakiese, a prominent opposition leader, dismissed the plan as a mere political maneuver to maintain power rather than address the root causes of the crisis. “His management is one of the causes of the current crisis,” Diakiese said. “Tshisekedi is more concerned with saving his power, whereas we are more concerned with saving the Congo, and this can be done with or without him.”
The M23 rebellion, which re-emerged in 2021, has severely undermined stability in eastern Congo. The group, which claims to be fighting for the rights of Congolese Tutsis, has been accused of numerous human rights abuses, including displacing thousands of civilians. The United Nations and several Western countries have accused Rwanda of supporting the rebels, an allegation that Kigali denies.
With back-to-back military defeats since the start of the year, his government has struggled to regain control of the region. His decision to reshuffle the leadership of the Sacred Union coalition and form a unity government signals a shift in political strategy, but whether it will translate into effective action on the ground remains uncertain.
As the crisis deepens, the Congolese people await tangible solutions that will bring lasting peace and stability to the embattled eastern provinces.
