SUMMARY
Mai-Mai Elements was a Bantu (primarily Luba ethnic militia formed in 2013 in Manono Territory, in response to escalating violence between Twa and Luba communities in Katanga Province, DR Congo (Zaire). The group emerged after attacks by the newly formed Twa militia PERCI, which targeted Luba villages. While initially created for community defense, Elements engaged in retaliatory attacks against Batwa civilians, becoming a significant actor in the cycle of ethnic violence in the region.
Elements’ mobilization was rooted in ethnic solidarity and the perceived need to protect Bantu (Luba and Tabwa) communities from attacks by Twa militias. The group promoted the idea of Bantu supremacy in local governance and land rights, often framing Twa communities as historical dependents who had risen violently and illegitimately.
Elements operated mainly in the Manono and Nyunzu territories of the former Katanga Province, now part of Tanganyika Province. Their bases of operation were concentrated in rural chiefdoms particularly near Bayolo, Lwela, and Kataba.
The group drew its rank-and-file from Bantu communities, particularly Luba and Tabwa youth. Recruitment was often informal, supported by local chiefs and elders, especially following high-profile attacks by PERCI on Bantu villages. Several units also included veterans of local defense forces and ex-members of Kata Katanga.
by the chief Kasanga as a response to the newly formed Pygmee/Batwa ethnic militia Perci, which had attacked Luba villages. Elements fought against Perci but they also launched revenge-attacks on Batwa villages where they killed civilians.
Elements was never a centralized militia, but rather a loose federation of local self-defense groups operating under the same label. Authority was divided between founding customary figures and military field commanders.
Elements fighters were armed with small arms, including AK-pattern rifles acquired through informal channels or looted from state forces. The group relied on hit-and-run tactics and mass raids, often targeting poorly defended Batwa villages. Elements could mobilize dozens to hundreds of fighters for operations.
The group was founded by Chief Kasanga, a local Luba authority figure in Manono, who provided moral leadership and community legitimacy. The military wing was led by a commander known as Sacadet (also spelled Sakade), who directed armed operations and recruitment. Other regional leaders such as Katadaye and Mutono Mukambila became prominent during later phases of the conflict. Mutono, a Tabwa from Moba, operated independently and cooperated with other Mai-Mai factions, such as Fimbo na Fimbo.
Elements factions maintained loose connections to earlier Kata Katanga movements, particularly those involving Gédéon Kyungu Mutanga. While not formally affiliated, their ethnic composition and some leadership ties overlap. The group later splintered into various regional wings, including Elements Katadaye and Elements Mutono, each maintaining local command. Some factions collaborated with the Fimbo na Fimbo militia and received tacit support from parts of the government armed forces (FARDC) during joint operations.
Elements has been involved in the one-sided category of UCDP organised violence.
