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Constant Ndima Kongba

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In this Congolese name, the surname is Ndima and the post-surname is Kongba.
Constant Ndima Kongba
Constant Ndima Kongba in 2021
Military governor of North Kivu
In office
May 2021 – 19 September 2023
PresidentFélix Tshisekedi
Preceded byCarly Nzanzu Kasivita (as civil governor)[1]
Succeeded byPeter Cirimwami (as military governor)[2]
NicknameEffacer le tableau ("erase the board")[3]
Military service
Allegiance Zaire (before 1997)
Movement for the Liberation of the Congo (MLC) (?–2003)[3]
 DR Congo (since 2003)
Branch/serviceZairian Armed Forces (FAZ)
Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC)
RankLieutenant general[4]
Battles/wars

Constant Ndima Kongba[4][a] is a Congolese military officer who served as the military governor of North Kivu from May 2021 to September 2023. Before this appointment, he had served in high-ranking positions in the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC). In the Second Congo War (1998–2003), Ndima was a commander in the Movement for the Liberation of the Congo; in this role, he was involved in Operation Effacer le tableau, a campaign that resulted in genocidal massacres.

Biography

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Early career in the FAZ and MLC

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Constant Ndima Kongba joined the Zairian Armed Forces (FAZ) during the rule of Mobutu Sese Seko, becoming part of the elite Special Presidential Division.[5] In the Second Congo War, Ndima joined the Movement for the Liberation of the Congo (MLC) rebel group.[3][6] He served as general and led the MLC's "Effacer le tableau" battalion,[3] infamous for the ferocity and brutality of its troops. By 2001/2002, he was placed directly under General Amuli Bahigua, MLC chief of staff.[7]

From 2002 to 2003, the MLC and other insurgent factions conducted Operation Effacer le tableau against another rebel group, RCD-K-ML; Ndima was one of the main commanders of the MLC troops involved in this campaign. Operation Effacer le tableau resulted in numerous massacres of civilians, including the genocidal mass slaughter of the Bambuti pygmies.[6][8] After the Second Congo War's conclusion, Ndima and many other MLC members were integrated into the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC).[6] Ndima's role in Operation Effacer le tableau was never addressed by the successive governments of the DR Congo. The MLC officially denied that Ndima had been present during the campaign.[8]

Rise in the FARDC and governorship

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In 2018, Ndima was appointed head of the FARDC's third military zone[9] which covers the entire Kivu region, Maniema, and Tshopo. He was later promoted to FARDC Deputy Chief of General Staff in charge of administration and logistics.[8]

In response to the continuing instability and violence in the northeastern parts of the country, President Félix Tshisekedi reorganized the government of several provinces in 2021.[6] He moved members of the FARDC into leadership positions, with Ndima being appointed military governor of North Kivu, succeeding civil governor Carly Nzanzu Kasivita.[1][b] In his first speech to the people of North Kivu, Ndima promised to act against corruption among the FARDC garrisons,[6] to listen to local grievances, and improve the security situation.[1] A few days after he had assumed office, the stratovolcano Mount Nyiragongo erupted. Ndima responded by ordering the evacuation of nearly a third of Goma's residents.[4][10]

From March 2022,[11] Ndima had to deal with a new offensive by the M23 rebel group.[11][12] In course of this offensive, Ndima condemned calls for violence and the mobilization of the civilian population, stating that the FARDC was responsible for combating the rebels.[13][14] After M23 insurgents captured the town of Bunagana and reopened its economically important border post under their own administration,[15] North Kivu's government under Ndima forbid the import and export of goods through rebel-held territory. Ndima declared that any trader who cooperated with the insurgents would be treated as a "fraudster, collaborator with the enemy".[16] On 12 July 2022, Ndima passed direct responsibility of commanding the local security forces to Lieutenant General Philémon Yav Irung.[17] He was replaced on an interim basis by Major General Peter Cirimwami on 19 September 2023.[2]

Notes

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  1. ^ also known as "Ndima Kongba Constant"[1] or "Ndima Constant"[3]
  2. ^ It was initially reported that Ndima had been appointed military governor of Ituri Province.[8]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Gaël Mpoyo (11 May 2021). "North Kivu new governor to tackle insecurity in eastern DRC". Africa News. Retrieved 13 June 2022.
  2. ^ a b "RDC: un nouveau gouverneur militaire intérimaire au Nord-Kivu". RFI. 20 September 2023. Retrieved 20 September 2023.
  3. ^ a b c d e Annan 2003, p. 28.
  4. ^ a b c Sally Hayden (28 May 2021). "Hundreds of thousands flee eastern DR Congo following volcano eruption". Irish Times. Retrieved 13 June 2022.
  5. ^ "Ituri: état de siège, le Lieutenant-Général Constant Ndima Kongba nommé gouvernneur de province". Bunia Actualite (in French). 5 May 2021. Retrieved 13 June 2022.
  6. ^ a b c d e "RDC: des généraux, au passé trouble, prennent leurs fonctions à la tête de deux provinces". La Libre Afrique (in French). 11 May 2021. Retrieved 13 June 2022.
  7. ^ Annan 2003, p. 29.
  8. ^ a b c d "État de siège en RDC: d'anciens rebelles nommés gouverneurs militaires". rfi (in French). 5 May 2021. Retrieved 13 June 2022.
  9. ^ "RDC: le pouvoir annonce une réorganisation de l'armée". rfi (in French). 24 July 2018. Retrieved 13 June 2022.
  10. ^ "DR Congo: Thousands flee Goma after second volcano warning". BBC News. 27 May 2021. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
  11. ^ a b Djaffar Sabiti (13 June 2022). "Congo rebels seize eastern border town, local activists say". Reuters. Retrieved 13 June 2022.
  12. ^ "The military governor receives food from the FEC/North Kivu for the FARDC". APC. 1 June 2022. Retrieved 13 June 2022.
  13. ^ "DR Congo: Civilians at Risk Amid Resurgence of M23 Rebels". HRW. 1 June 2022. Retrieved 13 June 2022.
  14. ^ Josué Musole (28 May 2022). "Nord-Kivu: Le gouverneur militaire appelle la population à ne pas se substituer aux forces de défense". Kivu Times (in French). Retrieved 13 June 2022.
  15. ^ "DR Congo rebels reopen border post with Uganda". Daily Monitor. AFP. 20 June 2022. Retrieved 22 June 2022.
  16. ^ "Nord-Kivu : interdiction d'importer et d'exporter les marchandises via Bunagana". RadioOkapi. 21 June 2022. Retrieved 22 June 2022.
  17. ^ "Opérations militaires au Nord-Kivu: remise et reprise entre les généraux Constant Ndima et Philémon Yav". RadioOkapi. 13 July 2022. Retrieved 20 July 2022.

Works cited

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