Sultani Makenga
Sultani Makenga, lead the March 12 movement, in an interview
Sultani Makenga, pictured wearing his "emblematic" cap,[1] in 2013
Born (1973-12-25) December 25, 1973
Rutshuru, North Kivu, Zaire (now Democratic Republic of the Congo)
NationalityCongolese

Colonel Sultani Makenga (born 25 December 1973 in Rutshuru, DRC Congo) is the military chief[2] of the March 23 Movement, a rebel military group based in eastern areas of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Makenga is an ethnic Tutsi and was raised in South Kivu.[1] He fought for the Rwandan Patriotic Front during the Rwandan Civil War.[1]

Sanctions were introduced against him by the United Nations Security Council in November 2012.[3] He has denied accusations that the M23 rebellion is backed by Rwanda.[3] His faction of the M23 have clashed with those loyal to its political leader, Jean-Marie Runiga Lugerero.[2] In May 2013, the M23 rebels clashed with FARDC (Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo) and there were rumors that Makenga was badly wounded.

On November 7, 2013, after the M23 was defeated by the FARDC backed by the UN FIB (Force Intervention Brigade), Makenga surrendered with hundreds of M23 fighters in Mgahinga National Park, Uganda.[4][5] He and his troops are held in a secret location.[4]

In early 2017, he tried to start again a guerilla war in DRC with 200 men. He failed and some of his militants were even hired by the Ugandan government to crush protests.[6]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Profile: Sultani Makenga, DR Congo's M23 rebel leader". BBC News. 7 November 2013. Archived from the original on 29 August 2021. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
  2. 1 2 "DR Congo: M23's Makenga and Runiga factions 'clash'". bbcnews.com. 25 February 2013. Archived from the original on 28 February 2013. Retrieved 3 March 2013.
  3. 1 2 "DR Congo's M23 rebels threaten to march to Kinshasa". bbcnews.com. 2012-11-21. Archived from the original on 2012-11-21. Retrieved 2012-11-21.
  4. 1 2 "DR Congo's M23 rebel chief Sultani Makenga 'surrenders'". BBC News. 7 November 2013. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 7 November 2013.
  5. ↑ Smith, David (7 November 2013). "Defeated Congolese rebel leader captured in Uganda, officials say". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 9 November 2013. Retrieved 7 November 2013.
  6. ↑ "RDC : que devient Sultani Makenga, l'ancien chef rebelle du M23 ?". Jeune Afrique (in French). 10 September 2018. Archived from the original on 25 March 2019. Retrieved 14 April 2019.


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