DRC Replaces Ituri Governor After Months of Pressure from Muhoozi

The Democratic Republic of Congo has replaced Ituri military governor Lt Gen Johnny Luboya Nkashama, a figure whose removal had been publicly demanded for months by Uganda’s Chief of Defence Forces, Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, amid tensions over Ugandan military operations in eastern Congo.

Maj Gen Kasongo Mulumba Batoka Gaby has been appointed the new military governor of Ituri, though Kinshasa did not immediately provide reasons for the change.

The move also comes after Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi visited Uganda for President Yoweri Museveni’s inauguration.

During the visit, Tshisekedi and Museveni held bilateral talks and signed agreements aimed at strengthening military cooperation, trade and economic ties between the two countries.

The timing is notable given Luboya’s long-running dispute with Uganda’s military leadership.

Last year, Muhoozi announced that Uganda was prepared to withdraw troops from positions stretching from Lubero in North Kivu to Mahagi in Ituri “if the Governor of Ituri is not changed.”

Muhoozi had previously singled out Luboya as a major obstacle to cooperation between the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) and Congolese authorities.

In April 2025, he publicly called for the governor’s removal, describing him as “very toxic.”

Luboya had clashed with Ugandan forces over the implementation of Operation Shujaa, the joint UPDF-FARDC offensive launched in 2021 against the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF).

His administration restricted UPDF access through some border points and insisted that Ugandan troops operate strictly within the agreed framework of the mission.

Despite Ugandan complaints, Kinshasa consistently backed Luboya, who had served as military governor since the state of siege was imposed in Ituri in 2021.

While there is no indication that his removal was linked to Ugandan pressure, the decision eliminates one of the most contentious figures in Uganda-DRC security relations and comes as Kampala and Kinshasa move to deepen military cooperation against armed groups operating in eastern Congo.

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