KilaloPress – Kinshasa, May 30, 2025 In the depths of Haut-Uele, a silent tragedy is unfolding. The gradual yet sustained arrival of foreign Mbororo herders in this northeastern province of the Democratic Republic of Congo is no longer just an isolated incident or a migratory anomaly—it has become a systemic crisis, simultaneously social, territorial, environmental, and security-related.
An alert report, submitted to our editorial office on May 30, 2025, by the National Association of Victims of Congo (ANVC), sheds light on a series of grave accusations: an alleged collusion between Congolese administrative authorities and these nomadic herding groups from abroad.
At the heart of this opaque system, several key figures emerge. The report explicitly names the governor of Haut-Uele province, Jean BAKOMITO, who is accused by multiple corroborating sources of having tolerated—and even facilitated—the illegal settlement of Mbororo communities in inhabited areas. Alongside certain traditional chiefs who are also implicated, some administrative officials are alleged to have received large sums of money in exchange for their silence or complicity, in what is described as a true black market of territorial impunity.
The cost of this alleged corruption is immeasurable. In the villages of Haut-Uele, local populations watch helplessly as their fields are destroyed, their lands occupied, and their homes collapse. Dozens of testimonies speak of forced displacements, violence, threats, and a climate of ongoing insecurity. Entire families, stripped of their livelihoods, now live in total destitution.
But the consequences extend beyond human impact alone. The report also highlights severe environmental damage: uncontrolled deforestation, river pollution, and the disappearance of local biodiversity. This ecological disaster, fueled by the inaction—or complicity—of those meant to embody public authority, is slowly but surely turning Haut-Uele into a lawless zone of pastoral chaos.
Yet, the communities are no longer silent. Voices are rising, increasingly numerous, within civil society. They are demanding the launch of an independent investigation—one that is neither entrusted to local authorities nor influenced by political interests. They are calling for clear accountability, including at the highest levels of the provincial hierarchy. They demand justice for the victims, restitution of stolen lands, and prosecution of those responsible for the violence and corruption.
A sense of abandonment dominates among the affected populations. In many cases, complaints filed with the authorities have been ignored—sometimes even suppressed. This institutional silence is fueling frustration and poses a real risk of social explosion in a region already marked by historical tensions. Within activist networks and local organizations, some now speak of a “political ecocide.” A strong term—but one that reflects a chilling reality: the ecosystem of Haut-Uele is dying, not only due to unchecked external pressure, but with the tacit or active blessing of those who are supposed to protect it.
In Kinshasa, the case is beginning to raise alarm. Although no official response has yet been issued by the central government, the revelations in this report are likely to become a test of credibility for the Congolese state in its claim to uphold sovereignty, protect the environment, and defend human rights. Civil society, for its part, has no intention of easing the pressure. It aims to document every violation, call upon international partners, and amplify the voices of the victims on every available platform. For them, humanity cannot coexist with impunity.
In the villages of Dungu, Faradje, and Niangara, all eyes are now on Kinshasa. What they expect is not just a token statement of intent—but a clear, firm, and immediate response. Some sources fear that if nothing is done, Haut-Uele will become more than just a provincial crisis: it will become the symbol of a state that has chosen to turn its back on its citizens—and its forests.
By KilaloPress
