Peter Cirimwami Nkuba

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Peter Cirimwami Nkuba
Military Governor of North Kivu
In office
19 September 2023 –24 January 2025

Peter Cirimwami Nkuba (died 24 January 2025) was a Congolese military officer, who served as the governor of North Kivu from September 2023 until his killing in January 2025 while fighting M23 rebels during the latter's offensive. [1] [2]

Biography

Peter Cirimwami Nkuba was born in South Kivu and belonged to the Abashi ethnic group. He had a long career in the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC). [3] Over the course of his service, he mostly oversaw operations in the eastern Congo. [4]

On 24 July 2020, Major General Jacques Nduru Ytshaligonza transferred command of the Sokola I operational sector to Cirimwami Nkuba who had previously served as his subordinate. [5] In 2022, he was made commander of the Sokola II operational sector, overseeing counterinsurgency operations in North and South Kivu. In this role, he headed the government forces during the operations against a renewed M23 rebellion. [3] [4] In April 2023, he was criticized for alleged retreat orders, though argued that two subordinate colonels had actually withdrawn without his input. [6]

In September 2023, the Military Governor of North Kivu, Constant Ndima Kongba, was dismissed from his post due to the deadly suppression of a religious sect by his troops. Cirimwami Nkuba was appointed his successor. [7] Over the next months, he rallied various militias -most notably FDLR and Wazalendo- to assist the FARDC against M23. He allegedly also closely cooperated with the Burundian military which had opted to assist the FARDC against M23. [4]

On 23 January 2025, Cirimwami Nkuba visited at the town of Mubambiro to calm the local public amid a major M23-led operation which targeted nearby Goma. At this point, the settlement of Sake was deemed the last line of defense before Goma. [8] On the next day, Cirimwami Nkuba was shot at approximately 9:00 p.m. in Sake, overseeing the local frontline. Cirimwami was subsequently evacuated to Kinshasa, where his death was confirmed. [7] [9] The FARDC subsequently declared that a state funeral would be held for him, and that he would be posthumously promoted to lieutenant general. [7] Somo Kakule Evariste was appointed as new military governor of North Kivu on 28 January. [10]

References

  1. ↑ "RDC: un nouveau gouverneur militaire intérimaire au Nord-Kivu". RFI (in French). 20 September 2023.
  2. ↑ "Governor of Congo's North Kivu province dies of his wounds in fighting with rebels, authorities say". Associated Press. 25 January 2025.
  3. 1 2 "Bimwe kuri Gén-maj Peter Cirimwami Nkuba wagizwe guverineri wa Kivu ya Ruguru". BBC (in Kinyarwanda). 19 September 2023. Retrieved 27 January 2025.
  4. 1 2 3 Esther Muhozi (25 January 2025). "UN report highlights collaboration between FARDC, Burundian forces and FDLR". Igihe. Retrieved 27 January 2025.
  5. ↑ "Beni : le général major Peter Cirimwami prend la tête des opérations Sokala1 Grand Nord". RadioOkapi. 24 July 2020. Retrieved 27 January 2025.
  6. ↑ "Procès des déserteurs de Bunagana: le général de brigade Peter Cirimwami comparait en tant que renseignant". RadioOkapi. 4 April 2023. Archived from the original on 13 April 2023. Retrieved 13 April 2023.
  7. 1 2 3 Patrick Ilunga (25 January 2025). "Congo army 'to hold state funeral' for Kivu governor killed by M23". The East African. Retrieved 27 January 2025.
  8. ↑ George Asiimwe (23 January 2025). "M23 Rebels Assault Sake in Push Toward Goma". Chimp Reports. Retrieved 31 January 2025.
  9. ↑ "RDC: Décès confirmé du gouverneur militaire du Nord-Kivu Peter Cirimwami atteint par balle au front contre le M23" [DRC: Confirmed death of North Kivu military governor Peter Cirimwami shot in the forehead against M23]. Actualite.cd (in French). 24 January 2025. Retrieved 26 January 2025.
  10. ↑ "Big Story: DRC Appoints Maj Gen Somo Kakule Evariste as Military Governor of North Kivu A". Chimp Reports. 29 January 2025. Retrieved 31 January 2025.
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