AFC/M23 calls on Universities to continue operations, Vows to cover salaries
AFC/M23 has urged universities in Goma and Bukavu to continue operations and assured academic staff that their salaries will be paid.
The AFC/M23 coalition has rejected a decision by the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to suspend academic activities at universities and higher-learning institutions in Goma and Bukavu, urging staff to continue working while assuring them that their salaries will be paid.
In a statement released on Wednesday, August 26, 2026, AFC/M23 described the decision announced by the government in Kinshasa on August 20 as “hasty” and said it failed to consider the potential consequences for students, lecturers and other university employees.
The coalition invoked the constitutional right to education, arguing that access to education should not be disrupted because of the country’s political and security crisis.
AFC/M23 also warned against using education for political purposes, saying students should not be forced to abandon their academic year or put their future at risk because of the ongoing conflict.
The statement, signed by AFC/M23 Deputy Permanent Secretary Delion Kimbulungu Mutangala, said: “No student should be forced to lose an academic year, education or their future because of the situation the country is going through.”
The coalition said measures had already been taken to ensure that classes continue, examinations are organized and students’ academic records are protected.
It further instructed university and higher-education staff to continue reporting to work as usual, promising to ensure that their salaries are paid.
A Sign of Expanding Parallel Governance?
AFC/M23’s decision to take responsibility for the continuation of university activities, examinations and staff salaries highlights its growing involvement in the administration of areas under its control.
While the government in Kinshasa maintains that AFC/M23 is an armed group and that state authority remains with the central government, the coalition has increasingly presented itself as an alternative governing authority in parts of eastern DRC.
Its involvement in education and public-sector administration adds another layer to the dispute over political and administrative control of Goma and Bukavu.
