Some widows of soldiers from the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC) who died in combat have announced plans to stage nude protests in the streets, citing the unbearable conditions they are living in following the government’s suspension of the support funds they used to receive.
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This announcement comes after the Congolese army launched a thorough audit to verify the actual number of living and deceased soldiers, in an effort to clean up the military payroll. As a result, the government temporarily halted the payments given to families of fallen soldiers until the audit is completed.
However, the move has drawn criticism from several top military officials, including Lt. Gen Johnny Luboya Nkashama, the Governor of Ituri Province.
“This issue of identifying widows is a recurring matter… But we are in an active war zone. They shouldn’t be coming here to distract and demoralize us with such decisions,” said Gen. Luboya.
He revealed that he had expressed concern to President Tshisekedi about the limited number of troops, stressing that the shortage was particularly evident in the city of Goma, which has been captured by the M23/AFC coalition.
Gen. Luboya warned that if soldiers believe their death would bring no benefit to their families, they would lose motivation and willingness to fight.
He added that soldiers are now being provided food rations meant for 15 days instead of a full month, blaming the Ministry of Defense for insufficient support.
“That’s the money I receive, and the soldiers ask me about it. It’s unacceptable that a soldier fighting on the front lines is given inadequate food supplies,” he stated.
He urged the government to ensure transparency and fairness in the process to avoid creating further discontent within the army ranks.
The widows, on their part, say they are living in dire conditions and feel abandoned by the state. As a result, some have declared their intention to protest naked in public to express their pain and call for the restoration of the support they once received.
This controversy adds to a series of corruption allegations recently reported within the Congolese military. Last month, FARDC announced it was pursuing Col. Nkulu Kilenge Delphin, who is accused of embezzling funds intended for soldiers and Wazalendo fighters in South Kivu Province.
So far, the Congolese military has not officially responded to the concerns raised by the soldiers and their widows. However, analysts warn that such issues continue to reveal deep flaws and mismanagement within the FARDC’s operations and administration.
