Colonel Nsabimana Mwengangabo Samuel, the officer in charge of logistics within the AFC/M23 coalition, has declared that the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC) are effectively “dead,” saying this was the reason he chose to leave the Congolese military.
Speaking in Nyabibwe, in Kalehe Territory, Colonel Nsabimana explained that while serving in the FARDC he commanded a brigade but was imprisoned for seven years. He said that after his release, his wife urged him to leave Kinshasa.
The colonel stated that witnessing the continued suffering of his relatives in eastern DRC, who had spent many years displaced and living without peace, convinced him to join the AFC/M23 freedom fighters in Chanzu, located in Rutshuru Territory.
He said: “I was a brigade commander in the FARDC, yet my own relatives were living without peace, and I could not speak on their behalf. When they were killed, I could say nothing. When they faced hardship, I could say nothing. Even when they were forced to flee their homes, I was unable to speak.”
He continued: “I made the decision to join my colleagues in Chanzu, where we received proper training. Anyone who leaves the FARDC undergoes training within M23. That is why we are united today, and families have gradually begun returning to their homes.”
Colonel Nsabimana argued that the FARDC has been undermined by numerous internal problems. He described the AFC/M23 as a professional military force capable of providing security and protecting the country.
He stated: “It is no longer FARDC—it is FAR décès (FARDC is dead). The FARDC no longer exists. Those we capture are trained. Wazalendo fighters come, Nyatura members come, Mai-Mai fighters come—they are all welcome. We receive them well, train them to become professional soldiers, and together continue building our country.”
Colonel Nsabimana’s father, who was among the residents welcoming him in Nyabibwe, said he was proud to have raised a son who became a soldier and expressed gratitude for his son’s decision to join the AFC/M23 coalition.
