By Ollus Ndomu
The streets of Goma and Bukavu in the Democratic Republic of Congo -DRC- have turned into a battlefield except there’s no battle, just a growing army of M23 rebels moving freely, setting up control points, and reinforcing their grip. New trucks rolled in yesterday, loaded with fighters both men and women who immediately took up key positions.
📸 Viral images flooded social media, showing a force that is not only growing in numbers but also in confidence. While Kinshasa vows to fight back, the rebels are not just defending their occupied territories, they are expanding, entrenching, and daring anyone to challenge them.
But this raises a critical question: How did a rebel group, once on the run, become this powerful?
1️⃣ The Numbers Game: Where Do M23’s Fighters Come From?
🔺 Fresh Faces, Well-Equipped Forces
👉 Independent reports suggest that hundreds of new fighters arrived in Eastern DRC overnight.
👉 Unlike ragtag militias, these are trained soldiers with modern weapons not something you acquire from looting villages.
👉 The presence of women taking up key roles shows that M23 is no longer just an armed group, it’s trying to function as a governing force.
🔺 Foreign Backing?
M23 doesn’t just grow overnight. Who is supplying their weapons, trucks, and logistics?
👉 Rwanda has long been accused of backing M23, something Kigali denies but the rebel group’s firepower raises serious suspicions.
👉 Are we witnessing a proxy war, with M23 as the face of a much bigger power struggle?
2️⃣ Civilian Support: Why Do Some Locals Welcome M23?
One of the most shocking things is how some civilians seem unbothered or even supportive of M23’s control.
🔺 Is This a Lesser Evil?
👉 Decades of neglect, insecurity, and corruption have left many Congolese in the East feeling abandoned by Kinshasa.
👉 If M23 provides more security than the national army, some locals might see them as a better alternative even if they don’t fully trust them.
🔺 A Deeply Rooted Conflict
👉 Ethnic tensions play a role, with some communities historically aligned with M23’s cause.
👉 Unlike previous rebel movements, M23 isn’t just fighting, it’s governing, trying to present itself as an authority rather than a passing militia.
3️⃣ What Happens Next?
With the DRC government planning a full-scale offensive, the stakes are high. But this isn’t just about M23, this is about:
🟢 The future of Eastern Congo – Will the government reclaim control, or will M23 entrench itself permanently?
🟠 Regional power struggles – If Rwanda is involved, will we see international pressure or more escalation?
🔴 The mineral question – With M23 controlling resource-rich areas, who really benefits from this chaos?
M23 isn’t just a rebel group anymore, it’s a force shaping the future of the DRC. The question is: Who will stop them?
