“who benefits from these crimes that have been committed for years against innocent civilians?” – CENCO, Conférence Épiscopale Nationale du Congo
In the heart of Ituri, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), 43 civilians; men, women, and children; were hacked to death in their sleep during a Catholic vigil. The attackers? Allegedly the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a group that has haunted Congo’s border regions for quite sometimes now. Yet beyond the brutality of the massacre lies a far more disturbing question: Who benefits from these atrocities, and what role is Uganda truly playing in this crisis?
A Pattern of Death, A Deafening Silence
July 2025 marked one of the bloodiest months in Ituri: 142 civilians slaughtered across Komanda, Djugu, and Irumu. No ambulances. No funeral vehicles. Victims were transported on motorcycles or even shoulders. The Congolese governement, once again, was nowhere to be found.
And while families dig shallow graves and communities mourn in silence, Uganda’s military presence in Congo remains largely unquestioned. The Shujaa joint operation between the Ugandan People’s Defense Forces (UPDF) and the Congolese army(FARDC), launched nearly four years ago to neutralize ADF, has failed spectacularly to stop the bloodshed.
Uganda’s Convenient War
Some observers believe Uganda is not just fighting ADF; it may be using them.The logic is chillingly strategic: by allowing or even enabling periodic massacres by ADF rebels, Uganda justifies its prolonged military presence inside Congolese territory. It gains control over critical border regions, infiltrates key economic zones, and positions itself as an indispensable “savior” while Congo burns from within.
Is Uganda deliberately sustaining chaos to serve its own security and economic interests? While such claims demand hard evidence, the patterns are difficult to ignore.
- ADF attacks persist in areas where UPDF is operational.
- ADF cells remain untouched in active conflict zones like Lubero and Beni.
- Uganda’s presence deepens, even as Congo’s sovereignty withers.
Meanwhile, Kinshasa obsesses over AFC/M23 and Rwanda, letting Uganda operate almost unnoticed.
Congo’s Leadership: Absent, Aloof, or Complicit?
If Uganda’s motives raise eyebrows, the Congolese government’s response; or lack thereof; is outright scandalous.
- The interior minister remains in office, unmoved by waves of civilian deaths.
- President Tshisekedi promises “restoring state authority” in AFC/M23-controlled zones while failing to govern territories already under his control.
- $40 million leaves the country for European football sponsorships while Ituri bleeds and lacks a single functioning morgue.
Even MONUSCO, the UN peacekeeping mission, now faces public scorn. Despite 25 years of presence and billions of dollars, it often arrives after the massacres to deliver statements, not to prevent them.
As Congolese MP Gratien Iracan bluntly stated:“Where were MONUSCO’s intelligence resources and mobile units before the killings?” Good question. And it applies equally to Kinshasa and Kampala.
ADF: A Ghost, A Tool, or Both?
Originally a Ugandan rebel group, the ADF now operates primarily in eastern Congo. It has aligned with ISIS, yes, but it also acts like a shadowy mercenary force, striking in regions tied to natural resources and economic interests; often around harvest seasons (like cocoa). Coincidence?
This is what activist Junior Kaboyi calls “a cocktail of history, geography, and economic interests” ; an unholy alliance of silence, complicity, and calculated terror. His warning is clear: the Congolese state must stop reacting after massacres and begin developing proactive, psychological, and localized counter-strategies. The current joint operations are not only ineffective; they may be part of the problem.
A People Abandoned
While national ministers campaign for cabinet positions, the people of Ituri bury their dead with no support, no protection, and no justice.
One activist bitterly wrote on X (formerly Twitter):“At least MONUSCO reacted before our government. What a country!” It’s a damning truth.
And still, no one resigns. No one is held accountable. No one in Kinshasa explains why a so-called “state of siege” continues to produce mass graves instead of security.
So, What Now?
This isn’t just a crisis. It’s a mirror; a brutal reflection of how failed leadership, foreign manipulation, and international apathy are turning Congo into a slaughterhouse.
If Uganda is indeed using the ADF crisis for its own geopolitical advantage, then Congo must reassess the legitimacy of that military partnership. The current setup not only fails to protect civilians; it enables the very violence it claims to fight.
And if the Congolese government cannot guarantee basic safety for its people, then it has no business campaigning, governing, or speaking of “sovereignty.”
As the CENCO rightly asked:“Who benefits from the blood of the Congolese people?”
We must demand answers; not just from foreign powers like Uganda, but from our own leaders. We must challenge the current narratives, disrupt the convenient silences, and force a long-overdue reckoning with those who profit from death and chaos.
