M23 Military Chief Sultani Makenga Reportedly Dies in Kampala After Injuries

KAMPALA, Uganda — The March 23 Movement (M23) has announced the reported death of its long-serving military commander, Sultani Makenga, saying he succumbed to injuries at a hospital in Kampala.

In a communiqué issued from Goma on 25th February the rebel coalition stated that Makenga sustained injuries on 24ty February and later died while receiving treatment in Uganda.

The statement, signed by Chief of Staff Alumba Lukamba Omokoko, said Makenga “lost his life following an incident on 24th February 2026, and succumbed to his injuries at a hospital in Kampala on Wednesday, 25th February 2026.”

The movement described his death as a significant blow to what it termed the “revolutionary community” of the Democratic Republic of Congo. It extended “sincere condolences to the entire revolutionary community of the DR Congo and to the biological family of the one who dedicated his entire life to the struggle for social justice and peaceful coexistence among all Congolese.”

In the same communiqué, M23 accused the government in Kinshasa of failing to honour its peace commitments. The group called upon “the national and international community to witness the blatant disregard by the Kinshasa regime for its commitments, notably the Doha Framework Agreement.” There has been no immediate response from the Congolese government regarding the claims.

Makenga’s reported death comes amid escalating violence in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. Earlier this week, a drone strike near Rubaya killed M23 military spokesperson Willy Ngoma and several others, marking a sharp escalation in fighting despite ongoing ceasefire efforts. At the time, multiple sources indicated that Makenga had been near the strike zone and may have been wounded, although his condition remained unclear in the immediate aftermath.

Born in Rutshuru territory in North Kivu Province, Makenga had been involved in regional armed movements for decades. He served as the military chief of M23 since its early years and was widely regarded as the backbone of the group’s armed operations.

If independently confirmed, his reported death could significantly alter the command structure of the rebel group and potentially influence the trajectory of the conflict in eastern DR Congo. As of now, there has been no independent confirmation from the Congolese government, regional mediators, or United Nations sources, and the situation remains fluid.