Thousands of displaced civilians in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) continue to face dire conditions amid ongoing conflict and instability. In the Muganywa camp near Kalemie, the capital of Tanganyika province, residents live in fragile shelters made from sticks and dried palm leaves, vulnerable to fires exacerbated by the dry season. A recent blaze, sparked by a cooking fire, destroyed several homes, forcing families to salvage what little they have.
The inhabitants of Muganywa and surrounding camps have fled escalating violence involving the March 23 rebel group (M23), which receives military support from neighboring Rwanda. Despite a peace agreement signed between the DRC and Rwanda more than a year ago, fighting persists, with the M23 controlling territories across North and South Kivu provinces. The conflict has now spread into Tanganyika, where more than 330,000 displaced people currently reside.
Among those displaced is Furaha Kahisa, who traveled roughly 400 kilometers on foot from Minova at the South Kivu–North Kivu border with her six children. She described fleeing attacks by militias defeated by M23 forces and subsequently moving several times to avoid advancing rebel fighters. Kahisa ultimately settled at Muganywa camp after a three-week journey relying on assistance from local villagers. Despite the harsh conditions—including reliance on a single muddy stream for water—she chose the camp over the threat of renewed violence.
The surge in displacement intensified between November 2025 and February 2026 during an M23 offensive on Uvira, a lakeside town in South Kivu which was retaken by government forces in January 2026. Many civilians and soldiers fled Uvira by boat, enduring a difficult week-long journey. Among them was Jeanne Sikitu, who recounted the scarcity of food and overwhelming numbers of people crammed together under harsh weather conditions.
The broader region of Tanganyika has long suffered from insecurity tied to ethnic tensions and militia violence. The Biloze Bishambuke militia has, over more than a decade, engaged in attacks, looting, and cattle theft against other ethnic groups in the area’s hills. Additionally, conflicts between the Twa and Luba communities have re-emerged since 2016, adding complexity to the displacement crisis.
Rose Mukalay, president of the Mulicha displacement camp, explained that the population there comprises former residents of South Kivu who fled ethnic conflict and recent violence. She noted efforts to secure access to education for displaced children and to create livelihoods by sharing agricultural labor, including harvesting palm oil and planting crops. Mukalay reflected on decades of conflict along Lake Tanganyika, dating back to the late 1990s when Rwanda-backed groups such as the Rally for Congolese Democracy operated in the region. She emphasized that the current situation, driven by the M23 offensive, has worsened the insecurity and suffering for communities that have already endured prolonged hardship.
Many displaced people in these camps remain without reliable access to basic services including education and clean water. As fighting continues in the eastern provinces of the DRC, humanitarian needs in Tanganyika and surrounding areas are expected to grow, underlining the complex challenges faced by those caught in the ongoing conflict.