The streets of Bukavu are slowly stirring back to life after the M23 rebel group seized control of the eastern DR Congo city with little resistance.
The once-bustling provincial capital of South Kivu now bears the scars of looting and violence, but with the sound of gunfire fading, residents are cautiously venturing outside once more.
Two bodies lay on a road in Bukavu on Monday, lynched by an angry mob accusing them of participating in the widespread pillaging that took place during the city’s fall.
As M23 fighters established control, sirens replaced gunfire as ambulances ferried the wounded to hospitals.
Thousands of residents have fled to neighbouring Burundi, while others remained behind to witness M23 fighters enter the city. Some even clapped as columns of rebels marched through the streets.
For now, Bukavu remains in limbo. “Our old authorities have fled, and the new ones haven’t said anything so far. We’re in a state of confusion,” said one resident, Hypocrate Marume.
The fall of Bukavu follows M23’s capture of Goma, the capital of neighbouring North Kivu province, last month. Fierce battles between the rebels and the Congolese army left thousands dead, according to the United Nations.
Civilians who had stayed indoors for two days fearing bloodshed are now cautiously returning to the streets.
While a large-scale massacre was avoided, the city remains in disarray, with garbage and remnants of looted goods strewn across roads. Humanitarian warehouses, shops, and even the local brewery were ransacked during the chaos.
The aftermath has also led to vigilante violence. Some Bukavu residents have taken justice into their own hands, with Red Cross teams seen retrieving charred bodies from the streets.
Although no official casualty figures have been released, a medical source described the number of dead in Bukavu’s morgues as numerous.
More than 200 wounded people have been treated over the past three days, according to figures compiled by AFP from the International Committee of the Red Cross and Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF).
Despite the uncertainty, daily life is beginning to resume. A handful of minibuses and motorcycle taxis are back on the roads, albeit in reduced numbers. Fuel shortages have driven transport costs up, with fares now fluctuating unpredictably.
In Bukavu’s markets, traders have returned to their stalls, though customers remain scarce.
Meanwhile, Bukavu’s port on Lake Kivu, a vital commercial hub, remains shut, though M23 announced plans to resume lake transport on Tuesday.
The border post with Rwanda has also remained partially closed since Sunday, adding to the region’s economic uncertainty.
As Bukavu grapples with its new reality under M23 control, residents are left waiting—uncertain of what the future holds.
