Armed men in military uniform attack Uvira bishop’s residence in DR Congo

Armed men in military uniforms stormed the
bishop’s residence in Uvira, eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, Feb. 20,
amid ongoing insecurity following clashes between a militia allied with the
government and Congolese armed forces. The assailants held Bishop Sébastien-Joseph
Muyengo Mulombe and his staff hostage before stealing cash and cellphones.

“We just escaped a tragedy,” Bishop Muyengo wrote
in a message to the General Secretariat of the National Episcopal Conference of
Congo (CENCO), describing how three armed men broke into the residence just a
day after violent clashes between the Walenzendo self-defense militia—linked to
the government—and the Congolese army (FARDC).

The intruders, dressed in military uniforms,
entered the residence in South Kivu province after following a cook inside.
They forced the bishop and two of his staff members to sit on the floor, took
their phones, and demanded access codes. “They threatened us with a gun—one of
them was armed—while the other two carried knives,” the bishop recounted.

Cash for their
lives

The attackers warned they would kill the hostages
unless they handed over money. The chancellor, who also serves as the
residence’s financial officer, offered to retrieve cash from his office. “They
took him there and locked us inside,” the bishop said. After the priest handed
over the money he had, the assailants ransacked the office before locking the
chancellor inside and fleeing.

“The situation could have been much worse, but by
the grace of God, Bishop Muyengo and the other priests are safe,” said
Father Georges Kalenga, CENCO’s deputy secretary-general, speaking to La
Croix International by phone.

The attack comes amid rising insecurity in Uvira,
where clashes between government forces and armed groups have paralyzed the
city. “Looting, business vandalism, violent attacks—there’s widespread panic,”
said a local civil society representative. “We used to fear rebel attacks. Now,
we just hope this chaos ends.”

In eastern Congo, as M23 rebels and their allies
advance from Goma and Bukavu toward Uvira, the worsening security crisis has
led some residents to see them as potential saviors. “Sadly, the population now
awaits M23 as liberators,” Bishop Muyengo said.

CENCO-ECC social peace pact

Despite threats and intimidation, CENCO and the
Church of Christ in Congo (ECC), a Protestant coalition, continue efforts to
foster peace. On Feb. 20, a multi-denominational service was held at St. Peter
and Paul Cathedral in Lubumbashi to launch the “Social Peace Pact” at
the local level.

“We want Congolese people to sit together and
find solutions to their country’s problems instead of resorting to violence,”
said CENCO Secretary-General Monsignor Donatien Nshole.

Addressing religious leaders and congregants from
the Grand Katanga region, he urged them to embrace the initiative, emphasizing
that real change depends on national unity. “Success hinges on the people adopting
this effort,” he said. “This is not about power-sharing. It’s about laying a
solid foundation for rebuilding the state. Our future depends on it.”