DR Congo Election: Desire for Peace Expressed Despite Lack of Voting Rights

Musa Bi, a 42-year-old woman from the Democratic Republic of Congo, was forced to flee her village with her six young children after it was surrounded by armed rebels. After walking for seven days, they reached a UN refugee camp, but her husband and two other children were separated from them in the chaos. The ongoing conflict in the region has overshadowed the upcoming presidential election, with several areas in the North Kivu province unable to vote due to the unrest. The UN refugee agency is struggling to cope with the influx of displaced people, leaving Bi and her children waiting for registration and dependent on the generosity of those already registered for food. The UN estimates that nearly seven million people are internally displaced in DR Congo, the highest number ever recorded. The rebels, known as M23, accuse the government of neglecting the ethnic Tutsi minority and refusing to negotiate with them. President Tshisekedi has framed the rebels as a threat to national security and has compared Rwandan President Paul Kagame to Adolf Hitler. Rwanda denies supporting the M23 but criticizes the Congolese authorities for failing to disarm Hutu rebels. The region is rife with armed groups competing for control of the valuable minerals found there. President Tshisekedi recently ordered the withdrawal of both the UN mission and an East African peacekeeping force, expressing frustration with their inability to protect the population from the advancing rebels. The fall of Bi's village and the nearby town of Masisi highlights the resurgence of the rebels. President Tshisekedi has sought help from the Southern African Development Community (Sadc) to counter the M23, and the regional bloc has agreed to send troops as part of a stronger force. However, details and arrival timing remain uncertain. While some locals express concern about the withdrawal of the UN force, others see it as an opportunity for change. Mrs Bi and other refugees at the camp feel ignored by politicians, who they believe have failed to bring peace to the region.