AFC/M23 movement recruits more than 7,000 new commandos

AFC/M23 officially welcomed back on September 14 7,437 new commandos, including newly recruited members and former Congolese government soldiers from the Mai Mai and Wazalendo militias who joined the rebel movement during the takeover of cities like Goma and Bukavu that they were controlling.

Leading the ceremony in North Kivu Province’s Rumangabo Training Center were Maj Gen Sultani Makenga, the movement’s military leader, and Corneille Nangaa, the movement’s political head. Within six months, the newly combined troops went through six months of intense military training.

Gen Makenga praised the recruits’ toughness and drive and emphasized that they were ready to serve the country with discipline and dedication.

“You are now soldiers of the Congolese Revolutionary Army (ARC),” Gen. Sultani Makenga, who is in charge of the military for AFC/M23, told the thousands of personnel at the Rumangabo base.

“Our country’s liberation army is the ARC.” Kinshasa’s Tshisekedi-led government has destroyed the country. Governments kill people because of their group or how they look. There is destruction in the towns caused by government bombings, including the army.

“The army is now just a litter box.” For example, they mix the army with armed civilians who are now called Wazalendo, the FDLR, and Imbonerakure, who act like Interahamwe. Together with soldiers from other countries. A mercenary army that Tshisekedi hired is treated better than Congolese soldiers. Neither the country nor the people of Congo do he honor. That man is not qualified to lead Congo.

On this occasion, Nangaa made an appeal to those who were still on the fence, telling them to join the change and help rebuild what he called a “country destroyed by bad governance.”