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 and governor who served as the governor of North Kivu province from September 2023 until he was killed in action in January 2025 while fighting the 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In April 2023, he was criticized for alleged retreat orders, though argued that two subordinate colonels had actually withdrawn without his input.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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