SUMMARY
Mayi-Mayi Kirikicho was an armed group formed in 2003 in Kalehe Territory, Sud Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo. The group emerged as a self-defense force in the aftermath of the Second Congo War. Over time, it became one of the most persistent Mayi-Mayi factions in the region, remaining active for over two decades under the leadership of “General” Kirikicho.
Mayi-Mayi Kirikicho was grounded in the broader Mayi-Mayi ideology of self-defense and resistance to perceived foreign occupation, particularly Rwandan and Rwandophone influence. Over the years, the group increasingly focused on protecting local community interests and exerting territorial control. In 2023, the group aligned itself with the VDP coalition fighting M23 in Nord Kivu.
The group operated primarily in North Kalehe territory, Sud Kivu province, but also maintained a presence in Kabare. In 2023, Kirikicho and allied Raia Mutomboki commanders deployed fighters to Sake and Masisi in North Kivu to confront M23.
Mayi-Mayi Kirikicho’s strength fluctuated over time, comprising several hundred fighters at various points. The group drew recruits mostly from the local population in Kalehe.
The group was led by “General” Kirikicho, a prominent Kalehe-based commander active since the early 2000s. Kirikicho reportedly had family ties to M23 commander Bernard Byamungu, but he himself did not join M23 or its political wing, AFC. He played a central role in rallying Mayi-Mayi and Raia Mutomboki leaders to deploy to North Kivu in late 2023, following coordination with APCLS leader Janvier Karahiri.
Mayi-Mayi Kirikicho cooperated with several Raia Mutomboki factions.
Raia Mutomboki Butachibera is an armed group that appeared in 2014 in Kalehe. The group originates from the Raia Mutomboki movement that spread in the mid-2000s to counter the Rwandan Hutu rebel group FDLR. Raia Mutomboki Butachibera was formed as a splinter faction from Raia Mutomboki Shukuru but the two groups continued to cooperate until Shukuru's surrender in 2018.
The three main Raia Mutomboki movements in Kalehe joined CNPSC in 2017 however it is unclear for how long Raia Mutomboki Butachibera was part of this alliance. In early 2023 CNPSC moved many of their forces to Nord Kivu to join VDP commonly known as Wazalendo in their fight against M23 and Rwanda. In late October 2023 Butachibera joined this effort.
Raia Mutomboki Butachibera was led by Butachibera Mwindja and Weteshi Kabanzi.
Raia Mutomboki Hamakombo was a local militia group affiliated with the broader Raia Mutomboki movement in eastern DR Congo. By late 2017, it had become part of the Coalition Nationale du Peuple pour la Souveraineté du Congo (CNPSC), a loose anti-government alliance active in South Kivu and Maniema. Like other Raia Mutomboki factions, Hamakombo emerged in reaction to perceived state failure and foreign armed group incursions, particularly the FDLR.
The group adopted the Raia Mutomboki ideology which included a mix of local self-defense, ethnic protectionism, and anti-FDLR sentiment. It also echoed CNPSC’s broader anti-Kinshasa and anti-Rwandophone rhetoric, portraying itself as a force defending Congolese sovereignty and community autonomy against both foreign and domestic oppressors. The group opposed central government control over customary and administrative affairs in its area of operation.
Raia Mutomboki Hamakombo operated primarily in Kalima groupement, within Kalehe Territory, South Kivu Province. Its military headquarters was located in Ekingi.
The group was composed primarily of local Congolese fighters, mainly drawn from the Tembo and Nyanga communities of Kalehe.
Raia Mutomboki Hamakombo followed the decentralized and fluid command model typical of Raia Mutomboki factions. Fighters operated in cells based on village and clan structures, coordinated through intermediaries under the central command of their field leader. It functioned semi-autonomously even when nominally integrated into CNPSC.
The group had modest military capacity, relying primarily on small arms.
The group was commanded by Bwaare Hamakombo, a local leader who gave the faction its name. Hamakombo held authority as both a military commander and a customary figure, giving him a dual role in coordinating military operations and managing relations with local civilian structures.
