SUMMARY
Twiganeho or Twirwaneho, which translates from Kinyamulenge as “Let’s defend ourselves”, is an ethnically Banyamulenge self-defense militia active primarily in the Hauts Plateaux of Fizi, Uvira and Mwenga territories, South Kivu Province, in the eastern DR Congo (Zaire).
The group first appeared after armed mobilization of demobilized fighters and young Banyamulenge by a former FARDC commander named Chunguti in Minembwe in 2008. The group, formed to defend the Banyamulenge community against armed Bembe militias who were engaging in attacks and cattle raiding targeting Banyamulenge communities. The group functioned as a community-based, reactive self-defense movement, reflecting the Banyamulenge’s broader strategy of mobilizing only when perceived threats arise. Its history is deeply embedded in the dynamics of ethnic self-protection, militarized youth culture, and community survival in an area torn by decades of regional instability.
The group became more and more invisible after 2010 before reappearing as an Ngumino ally in the increasing inter-community tensions in 2015.
Twiganeho has always been a decentralized group. In the 2008 mobilization the Twiganeho was led by Raban Musemakweli Senga also known as Rabani Ntagendererwa Musemakweli. In the 2015 mobilization the group was led by David Muhoza Ndahigima also known as “Al Shabaab” and Mararo until his death in December 2019. These leaders were often locally recognized rather than formal military commanders, reflecting the group's grassroots, non-hierarchical organization. In 2020 Twighaneo partially absorbed into AFP-Gutabara the armed movement formed by Colonel Michel Rukunda (Makanika).
Ngumino (derived from guma ino, ‘stay here’ in Kinyamulenge) also known as MPCC (Mouvement populaire pour le changement du Congo, Popular Movement for Changing the Congo) was a Banyamulenge ethnic militia active in the Haut Plateaux of Uvira and Fizi territories, Sud Kivu Province of DR Congo (Zaire). The group originate from armed mobilization in 2007 when some former FRF transformed the group into a politico-military movement which locally became known as Gumino. FRF gave up armed struggle and its military wing integrated into the FARDC in 2011 but Ngumino stayed in the region to protect the Banyamulenge.
The original Ngumino was led by Colonel Richard Tawimbi. Tawimbi had been part of AFDL in 1996 before falling out with the Rwandans. In 2003 he joined FRF but he split from the group when they integrated into FARDC in 2011. Richard Tawimbi travelled to Kinshasa in August 2012 to be part of negotiations with the government, after this Tawimbi remained in Kinshasa and the extent of his leadership was unclear. In January 2019 Tawimbi was arrested. When Tawimbi moved to Kinshasa in 2011 the group was left under the leadership of Nyamusharaba Shaka and Colonel André Semahurungure Muhasha. Semahurungure was killed in September 2019. In 2022 the group was led by Colonel Olivier Murindangabo.
Ngumino was based in Kajembwe, in the Hauts Plateaux of Uvira.
