### The Kikwit March: Symbol of Congolese Resilience and Resistance
In a context of rising geopolitical tensions in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the city of Kikwit saw a significant march take place on January 29, 2025, orchestrated by dozens of students and teachers from its higher education institutions. This movement is not limited to a simple expression of discontent in the face of Rwandan aggression in the east of the country; it illustrates the resilience of a population that refuses to be defeated by the conflicts that affect it. But even more, this mobilization raises crucial questions about national identity, inter-ethnic solidarity and the management of natural resources.
#### A Mobilization Beyond Ideological Borders
The statement by Father Professor Alphonse Kapumba, Rector of the University of Kikwit, sums up the prevailing sentiment: “The DRC will remain one and indivisible.” This sentence sounds like a call for cohesion, but it quickly becomes a rallying cry for an entire nation fragmented by internal struggles and external interests. This point of view deserves to be put into perspective with the global socio-political environment, where nations are going through similar crises.
Indeed, while the DRC faces recurring armed conflicts, other African countries, such as Sudan or Mali, have also experienced periods of disintegration of their social fabric and territorial integrity under the pressure of internal conflicts and foreign influences. This reality raises a crucial question: how can the DRC, strong in its natural resources, organize itself to guarantee national security in the face of increasing foreign pressure, while meeting the expectations of its population?
#### The Question of Natural Resources: Between Wealth and Curse
The Kikwit march focuses not only on military aggression, but also on the plundering of resources, often at the heart of conflicts in the DRC. The idea of a day without phones made from materials extracted from eastern DRC, proposed by Father Kapumba, symbolizes a turning point. This initiative highlights a collective awareness: the Congolese are beginning to realize that their consumption must be ethical and responsible. According to an OECD report, the country is home to approximately 24% of the world’s coltan reserves, an essential mineral for the manufacture of electronic devices. But this wealth comes at a cost: the conflicts it causes, as well as the savage exploitation of its resources, threaten the lives of thousands of Congolese.
#### Solidarity in Times of Crisis: The Role of Youth
A fascinating aspect of this movement is the active participation of young people. These students position themselves not only as actors of civil society, but as the custodians of a future that they wish to see different. By holding powerful speeches, they reaffirm their place in the fight for sovereignty and for a fair redistribution of wealth. Congolese youth, both present on the ground and on social networks, are becoming a real vector of change. They attract the attention of international organizations, while emphasizing the need for humanitarian aid provided not only in material support, but also in terms of education and training.
#### When Local Commitment Is Displayed Internationally
The demands made in Kikwit are echoed well beyond the borders of the DRC. Donors and international NGOs must take this popular mobilization seriously. The commitment of the local population is essential to initiate a true dialogue between Cairo and Brussels, Washington and Beijing. In calling for a holistic approach and listening to local demands, it is crucial to remember that solutions imposed from outside have often been synonymous with bitter failures.
#### Conclusion: Towards a New Awareness?
The Kikwit march is much more than a simple reaction to a military aggression; it represents a societal upheaval, a desire to take one’s destiny into one’s own hands. The future of the DRC depends on this dynamic of popular mobilization, but also on the need to reassess relations with neighboring countries, as well as with the international community. The DRC has all the cards in hand to forge its own destiny, but this will require political will, a shared vision and, above all, reinforced education to accompany this collective awareness.
Thus, Kikwit stands as a beacon of resistance and hope in the darkness. The cries of the students resonate not only for their region, but evoke the ardent desire for a nation united in the face of adversity. A dynamic to be closely monitored, because it could carry the seeds of a real break in the conflict dynamics that are weighing down the East of the DRC.