NAIROBI, Kenya, Jul 31 – Members of the Congolese community in Kenya are calling on the government to investigate allegations that individuals linked to the Alliance Fleuve Congo (AFC)/M23 rebel movement are using Nairobi to recruit supporters, mobilize communities and raise funds for activities connected to the ongoing conflict in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
The appeal places Kenya’s role as a regional peace broker under renewed focus, with the community arguing that the country’s constitutional freedoms should not be exploited to facilitate activities that could fuel armed conflict beyond its borders.
Ganza Daniel, President of the Mutualite Banyamulenge Community in Katanga, urged Kenyan authorities to conduct an independent investigation into the allegations.
“Kenya has built a strong reputation as a country that believes in democracy, peace and the rule of law.”
“We are appealing to the Kenyan authorities to ensure that these democratic freedoms are not exploited to recruit, mobilize or raise funds for an armed conflict taking place in the DRC,” he said.
The community alleges that individuals associated with AFC/M23 have travelled to Kenya to mobilize members of the Congolese diaspora, with some fundraising activities allegedly taking place within sections of the community, including churches.
It further claims that young Congolese nationals, including minors, may have been targeted for recruitment.
No evidence supporting the allegations was provided publicly, and Kenyan authorities had not commented on the claims by the time of publication.
Daniel stressed that the community was not asking the government to act on unverified accusations but to establish the facts through a professional investigation.
The community also expressed concern that some individuals benefiting from refugee protection in Kenya could be involved in political mobilisation or logistical activities linked to the armed movement, arguing that humanitarian protection should not be misused to support armed conflict.
The allegations emerge as fighting in eastern DRC continues to destabilize the Great Lakes region, with M23 maintaining control over significant territory, including the provincial capitals of Goma and Bukavu.
Kenya has played a central diplomatic role in efforts to resolve the eastern DRC conflict, hosting the Nairobi Process aimed at facilitating dialogue among regional stakeholders and armed groups.
The country has also contributed troops under regional peace initiatives and has consistently positioned itself as a neutral mediator in the conflict.
Daniel said preserving that credibility required ensuring Kenyan territory was not used for activities that could undermine regional stability.
The Congolese community also urged security agencies to investigate alleged recruitment and fundraising activities, particularly those involving minors, while strengthening cooperation with regional and international peace initiatives seeking a political solution to the conflict.
The M23 rebel group has been at the centre of renewed violence in eastern DRC since late 2021, with the conflict triggering one of Africa’s largest displacement crises.
The rebel movement, which operates under the broader Alliance Fleuve Congo (AFC) political-military coalition, has captured large areas of North and South Kivu provinces despite regional and international mediation efforts.
In February 2025, the United Nations Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 2773, condemning M23’s offensive, demanding the group’s withdrawal from occupied territories and calling on the Rwanda Defence Force to cease support for the rebels and withdraw from Congolese territory. Rwanda has repeatedly denied backing M23.
