For weeks, the Democratic Republic of Congo has been engulfed in violent clashes as fighters from the M23 rebel group advance through the eastern region, challenging the national army and seizing key areas. The conflict has escalated tensions between DR Congo and Rwanda, with thousands reportedly killed in just two weeks.
At the heart of this turmoil is Sultani Makenga, the M23 leader accused of war crimes. His life story reflects decades of conflict, foreign intervention, and struggles over DR Congo’s vast mineral wealth.
Born on Christmas Day in 1973 in Masisi, Makenga was raised in a Tutsi family. At 17, he joined the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF), a Tutsi-led rebel group seeking political representation and the return of Tutsi refugees. The RPF played a major role in ending the 1994 Rwandan genocide, which saw 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus killed. Makenga rose through the ranks in the Rwandan army but faced career limitations due to his lack of formal education.
By 1997, he was part of a Rwanda-backed force that helped overthrow DR Congo’s long-time ruler, Mobutu Sese Seko, and install Laurent Kabila. However, as relations soured between Kabila and Rwanda, Makenga found himself imprisoned for defying orders. Upon his release, he rejoined armed movements in DR Congo, becoming known for his strategic military leadership.
Makenga eventually aligned with the M23 rebellion, which accused the Congolese government of failing to honor a 2009 peace deal. In 2012, he led the group in capturing Goma, a major city in eastern DR Congo. Allegations of Rwandan support for M23 fueled international tensions, and by 2013, Makenga’s forces faced internal divisions. His rival, Gen. Bosco Ntaganda, fled and was later sentenced to 30 years by the International Criminal Court.
After a period of exile in Uganda, Makenga resurfaced in 2021, leading the M23 in renewed offensives. Despite ceasefire attempts, the violence continues, with a court recently sentencing him to death in absentia. Though rarely seen in public, he remains a central figure in the conflict, claiming his fight is for his children’s future.
As the crisis deepens, millions of civilians bear the cost, and Makenga faces the possibility of capture. Yet, he remains defiant, stating, “I am willing to sacrifice everything.”
