The Democratic Republic of Congo has opened a far-reaching investigation into the collapse of its army in the east, where the M23 rebel movement and its allies continue to expand their control.
Dozens of top generals and senior officers have been summoned to answer questions over what officials describe as a series of humiliating defeats that allowed key cities to fall with little resistance.
The inquiry is being led by General Gabriel Amisi Kumba, Inspector General of the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC), under the authority of the Ministry of Defense.
In a confidential letter dated July 29, 2025, the inspectorate identified at least 41 generals and colonels to be interrogated, including figures once at the heart of military command in Kinshasa and the volatile Kivu provinces.
Some of those named are already in detention and will be questioned from prison facilities.
Among those under scrutiny is General Christian Tshiwewe, the former Chief of General Staff, as well as General Franck Ntumba, who headed military operations in the president’s office before his arrest last month on suspicion of plotting against the head of state.
Others include the army’s former spokesperson, Maj. Gen. Sylvain Ekenge, Lt. Gen. Constant Ndima, who commanded North Kivu, Maj. Gen. Chico Tshitambwe, and Lt. Gen. Padiri Bulenda David, head of the reserve forces.
The inspectorate’s mandate is to determine how the FARDC was forced out of Bunagana, Goma, Bukavu and other towns despite regional military backing and repeated government pledges to restore order.
Bunagana, on the Ugandan border, was the first to fall in June 2022 after months of heavy fighting. Videos of Congolese troops retreating across the border with weapons and equipment shocked the nation and exposed deep fractures in the army’s command.
By early 2025, Goma and Bukavu, the largest cities in eastern Congo, had been captured, each a symbolic and strategic loss for the government.
The M23, now operating under the broader coalition known as the Alliance Fleuve Congo (AFC), claims to control more than 34,000 square kilometers of territory across North and South Kivu.
Its leader, Corneille Nangaa, has repeatedly insisted that the movement is capable of administering the regions under its grip, further undermining Kinshasa’s authority.
The government sees the investigation as a step toward restoring public confidence and identifying weaknesses in its command structures.
“This inquiry will help the Congolese army understand where the shortcomings of those at the front line originated and take measures to improve its performance,” Gen. Kumba said.
Analysts, however, warn that the probe must look beyond individual failings and address structural issues such as corruption, logistics breakdowns, and political interference if it is to produce real reform.
More than seven million people are displaced by the conflict, and humanitarian agencies have warned of one of the world’s most severe crises.
Regional interventions by both the East African Community and the Southern African Development Community have failed to stem the violence, while peace talks mediated by Qatar continue to stall amid renewed clashes.
For President Félix Tshisekedi’s government, the military inquiry is both an attempt to enforce accountability and a political necessity.
Whether it leads to meaningful reforms or simply scapegoating will be decisive in shaping the future of Congo’s fragile security apparatus and its ability to reclaim the east from rebel hands.
