DRC parliamentarian Justin Bitakwira has attracted fierce criticism after delivering a fiery speech in which he praised rebel fighters (Wazalendo) despite acknowledging their escalating violence, killings, and criminality.
His remarks, which oscillated between admiration and disappointment, have shocked civil society and raised questions about the role of political leaders in legitimizing armed groups responsible for widespread atrocities.
Speaking to fighters in eastern Congo, Bitakwira described them as former “national heroes” and urged them to remember the glory they once enjoyed. He glorified their years in the bush, recalling how they survived extreme hardships and were once celebrated as “the national pride of Congo.”
He reminded them of their rugged origins, invoking images of long years spent in the forest with nothing but torn clothes and determination—portraying this as a badge of honor rather than the beginning of violent rebellion.
But the speech quickly turned into a contradictory tirade, as Bitakwira questioned how these “heroes” had now become the very criminals terrorizing civilians.
“We no longer know who has turned into the bandits,” he said. “Is it you, the very people once considered the pride of this nation, who are now stealing goats and causing deaths?” He lamented the recent incidents in which civilians were killed and property looted, calling the fighters’ actions “a shameful betrayal.”
Bitakwira warned them that their behavior had crossed every line, insisting that their time was running out.
“Everything that has a beginning has an end,” he said. “If you don’t abandon this conduct, they will take your weapons, and some of you will be arrested.”
He also criticized them for daily gunfire and recurring violence, saying that it is increasingly difficult to justify their actions or defend them before the national government and international partners.
“The deaths every day, the gunshots every day—when you ask who is responsible, the answer is always you,” he said.
Bitakwira’s words, which simultaneously praise the rebels as heroes while condemning their criminality, have sparked a storm of backlash. Human rights defenders argue that a state official glorifying armed groups responsible for murder, extortion, and intimidation only deepens the suffering of civilians and undermines ongoing security efforts.
Observers say the speech reflects a dangerous normalization of rebel violence in eastern DRC, where political figures have long been accused of exploiting militias for local power struggles.
The government has not yet commented on Bitakwira’s remarks, but critics warn that such rhetoric, left unchecked, risks emboldening armed groups already destabilizing the region.