AFC/M23 leadership visits Bukavu fire victims

Senior political figures from the AFC/M23 have visited victims of a devastating fire in Bukavu, South Kivu, following the disaster that struck the city on Thursday, 10 September 2026, under the administration of the Alliance Fleuve Congo / Mouvement du 23 Mars (AFC/M23).

A fierce blaze broke out in the Kadutu commune and the Cimpunda district, reducing hundreds of homes to ashes and tragically affecting local schools.

The destructive fire claimed the lives of numerous schoolchildren trapped by the flames, plunging South Kivu into deep mourning with a provisional toll running into dozens of dead and numerous injured.

Faced with a humanitarian catastrophe that has plunged many families into grief, the AFC/M23 leadership sought to demonstrate its solidarity through practical action on the ground.

​A high-level delegation immediately travelled to Bukavu to assess the scale of the material and human damage. This major mission reflects the leadership's clear commitment to standing alongside the population during its darkest moments.

The important delegation sent to support those affected was led by AFC political coordinator Corneille Nangaa. He was accompanied by his deputy coordinator, Bertrand Bisimwa, underscoring top-level unity within the administration in responding to the crisis.

Their physical presence amidst the rubble allowed them to gauge firsthand the distress of Bukavu's residents following the massive destruction of their homes.

As part of this solidarity visit, the top officials of the AFC/M23 visited various local health facilities sheltering the injured and survivors.

At the bedsides of the victims, political coordinator Corneille Nangaa and his deputy Bertrand Bisimwa spoke with patients and medical staff, enquiring about the quality of care being provided to those with burns and individuals traumatised by the tragedy.

Following the hospital tour, the political authority announced concrete emergency measures, notably the full coverage of medical care for survivors as well as support for families to ensure the victims receive a dignified burial.

These immediate announcements aim to provide some relief to impoverished households that lost everything in the flames.

According to local observers, this field visit reflects responsible and proactive governance by the AFC/M23 authorities administering the region.

By choosing to be immediately at the side of the local population rather than waiting for aid from elsewhere, the alliance's executive demonstrates a capacity for direct reaction to local social and humanitarian emergencies.

This approach also illustrates a deliberate choice to avoid inertia or a wait-and-see attitude towards hypothetical outside assistance. By taking charge of the crisis management, the administration in place seeks to assert its proximity and operational responsibility through the concrete protection of those under its governance.

Beyond immediate assistance and the assessment of damage, this visit by AFC/M23 leaders has opened up prospects for long-term prevention.

The authorities stressed the need to rethink urban planning and combat unregulated construction and overcrowding recurrent aggravating factors in the destructive fires that regularly strike urban areas in the region.