Ongoing clashes in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have pushed over 250,000 people into Tanganyika province by August, as violence from the M23 rebel group erupted in South Kivu this year. 😟
While many crossed east into Burundi, thousands headed south into Tanganyika—stretching local resources to the max. Here, informal settlements are sprouting up around villages and towns like Kalemie.
Take Muzinga Angelani Salumu. She fled Bukavu after it fell to M23 fighters in February. First she found shelter in Ndufita in May, then moved again to Ongwa village near Kalemie in August. “We suffered a lot,” she says. “Diseases spread, women gave birth in poor conditions, and some people got paralysed.” 😔
According to the International Organization for Migration, about 80% of the displaced are staying with local families instead of camps. That means even more strain on food, water, housing, and healthcare in communities that already have little to spare.
“Our village is overwhelmed,” says Bumbu Mwamba Amiri, chief of Ongwa. “When you flee, you don’t bring food. Now we face overpopulation and shortages every day.”
Humanitarian agencies warn that chronic funding gaps are slowing aid deliveries. In March, the UN Refugee Agency said its emergency stocks in Kalemie were almost gone, leaving thousands without enough food, medicine, or shelter. ⛑️
As days pass, desperation grows. “We wonder if we were wrong to leave our homes,” says displaced resident Wachwa Mwilungu Imani. “Maybe we should have stayed and kept fighting for our land. Now we suffer here instead.”
There was a glimmer of hope in December when the DRC and Rwanda presidents signed a US-brokered peace deal. But for those on the move, life on the ground has changed little so far.
With the conflict showing no signs of slowing, Tanganyika will likely remain a refuge for thousands. Yet without a boost in support, local communities risk reaching a breaking point. 🤝
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
