DRC: General Evariste Kakule Somo takes up his duties in Beni amid a security crisis
Three days after his appointment by President Félix Tshisekedi, Major General Evariste Kakule Somo officially settled in Beni, in the northern part of the North Kivu province, on Friday, January 31, 2025. This decision comes in a particularly tense context, marked by the presence of the M23 and Rwandan forces in Goma.
In response to the ongoing threat posed by the M23 in the region, Major General Kakule Somo announced that Beni would temporarily serve as the capital of North Kivu. The inauguration ceremony, held in the courtyard of Beni’s town hall, symbolizes a strategic shift in the management of the conflict and the redeployment of provincial authority.
Despite this temporary relocation, the military governor assured that he intends to settle in Goma as soon as the security conditions permit. “My office is in Goma, and I will move there as soon as possible”, he stated, thus acknowledging the importance of recapturing this strategic city.
The appointment of General Kakule Somo comes at a time when the situation in North Kivu remains volatile. The persistent attacks by the M23, which Kinshasa claims is supported by Rwanda, and the chronic instability in the region make the new governor’s mission particularly complex. His installation in Beni reflects the need to adapt military governance to the realities on the ground and to strengthen the coordination of operations against armed groups.
