Congo's Wazalendo: The Militia Armed By Tshisikedi to Fight M23

Video Description

In early 2025, two of Congo’s biggest cities fell. First Goma, then Bukavu. The national army, already stretched thin, was in retreat. To fight back, President Félix Tshisekedi made a bold gamble. He armed local militias, known as the Wazalendo, or ‘patriots.’ On the frontlines, they became his secret weapon: more active than the army, defending villages, blocking roads, and rallying communities. But by August, the gamble was already showing cracks. In Uvira, Wazalendo fighters turned their guns on the very army they were meant to support. Eight people died, the city panicked, and the illusion of unity crumbled. In this episode of Africa Biographics, we look at the story of the Wazalendo of the Congo. Tshisekedi’s secret weapon in the war with M23, and the risks of arming militias that the state cannot fully control……. ****************************************************************** Music: Epidemic Sound #Congo #M23 #wazalendo