DR Congo offers Sh645 million bounty for arrest of three M23 rebel leaders
The likelihood of their arrest remains uncertain, given the military's struggles against the well-equipped rebels.
The government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has announced a Sh645.8 million ($5 million) bounty for information leading to the arrest of three leaders of the M23 rebel group, which has seized large parts of the country's eastern region this year.
Among those targeted is Corneille Nangaa, a former head of DR Congo's electoral commission who now leads the Congo River Alliance, a coalition that includes the M23 rebels. Nangaa has addressed large rallies in cities under rebel control, solidifying his influence.
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The bounty also applies to M23 leaders Sultani Makenga and Bertrand Bisimwa.
Last year, a military court convicted the three men in absentia of treason, sentencing them to death.
Despite the government’s latest move, the likelihood of their arrest remains uncertain, given the military's struggles against the well-equipped rebels, who are allegedly backed by Rwanda.
The Congolese government has further placed a $4 million (£3 million) bounty on two journalists living in exile and others it considers "accomplices" in the ongoing crisis. However, details about these journalists and their alleged involvement remain unclear, raising concerns about press freedom and the potential targeting of dissenting voices.
The DRC’s eastern region, rich in valuable minerals such as gold and coltan, has become the focal point of the conflict.
The Congolese government accuses Rwanda of supporting the M23 rebels to gain control over these resources. Rwanda, in turn, denies looting minerals from DR Congo.
Pressure on Rwanda
In response, President Félix Tshisekedi has ramped up efforts to increase international pressure on Rwanda, seeking sanctions against the neighbouring country. The Congolese government is also courting US support, offering access to its mineral wealth in exchange for military assistance in fighting the rebels.
Amid allegations that Rwanda is benefiting from illegally smuggled minerals, Congolese presidential spokeswoman Tina Salama recently urged US companies to source minerals directly from DR Congo rather than through Rwanda.
"President Tshisekedi is inviting the US, whose companies source strategic raw materials from Rwanda — materials that are looted from the DRC — to instead buy them from the rightful owners," she wrote on X.
Despite these diplomatic efforts, the humanitarian crisis continues to worsen. Thousands have been killed, and hundreds of thousands have been displaced, forced to flee their homes as the fighting intensifies. The ongoing violence has further destabilised the region, with no clear resolution in sight.
Rwanda has accused the Congolese government of working with the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), a militia linked to the perpetrators of the 1994 Rwandan genocide, which resulted in the massacre of approximately 800,000 people, mostly ethnic Tutsis.
The Congolese government denies any collaboration with the FDLR, branding Rwanda's allegations as an attempt to justify its involvement in DR Congo’s affairs.
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