Colonel Muhindo Mukumbatiya Bénoit, commander of the Wazalendo FAR-W militia, has called for a hunt against Masai nationals from Kenya and Tanzania living in Beni and Butembo, accusing them of collaborating with the M23 rebel group in the capture of Goma.
The Masai, known across East Africa as itinerant traders and hawkers selling shoes and garments in Kigali, Kampala, Nairobi, Dar es Salaam, and other major cities, have long been part of the region’s informal economy.
But Mukumbatiya likened them to “snakes,” claiming they camouflage as ordinary traders while serving as enemy infiltrators.
His rhetoric was echoed by another Wazalendo officer, Muhongya (@JulesMNational), who also urged locals to view the Masai as collaborators of the enemy.
The militias have gone further, warning landlords that any homes or hotels hosting Masai tenants will be burned.
They justify their threats by pointing out that the traders “eat every day, pay rent and afford clothing,” an argument that observers say reflects primitive scapegoating designed to incite hostility.
Wazalendo militias, widely accused of atrocities and strongly funded and backed by President Félix Tshisekedi, continue to wreak havoc in eastern Congo.
Analysts suggest the latest attacks on Masai traders are politically motivated, coming just days after Kenyan President William Ruto appointed an envoy to Goma.
Tshisekedi’s forces appear to be responding by targeting Kenyan and Tanzanian nationals in Congolese cities, portraying them as enemies of the state.
FAR-W, closely linked to the AVRP tribal political party, has a track record of communal violence, including attacks on Congolese Tutsis in Nyiragongo and Masisi territories, and involvement in anti-Tutsi demonstrations in Goma.
Observers warn that expanding this hate campaign to include the Masai risks fueling fresh waves of violence in Beni and Butembo, and further destabilizing the region.
Last week some Maasai traders were seen stranded and stressed in Bukavu, fearing for their lives.
“DRC is a member of EAC. Citizens of EAC are free to move, live and work in any country. This hatred targeting Masais is against our values as member states,” said one Njoroge on X. “This primitive behavior should be not be tolerated.”