** A reassurance visit or a symbolic journey? The arrival of General Major Evariste Somo Kakule in Walikale-Center **
On February 27, the province of North Kivu, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, saw the arrival of General Major Evariste Somo Kakule, recently appointed military governor. This trip, marked by the helicopter stopover at Kigoma aerodrome, is perceived as a symbol of state authority in the face of persistent threats of armed groups, including M23, which continue to have thousands of lives and dive communities into uncertainty. But does this trip go beyond a simple communication operation?
### a degraded security context
North Kivu has long been the scene of violence, ethnic conflicts and power struggles, exacerbated by a prodigious natural wealth which attracts both national and international interests. The recent clashes between the Congolese army and the M23 create a climate of increasing anxiety for civilians, many of which are trapped between the belligerent fires. It is no coincidence that the military governor chose Walikale-Center, a region particularly affected by rebel incursions and by the perception of abandonment of the state.
### A mission of symbolic roaming
The roaming project of General-Major Somo Kakule seems to be a reinsurance tour for a population that lives a dismoralizing and dangerous daily life. “This visit constitutes a moral comfort,” said the administrator of Walikale, reflecting a profound need for validation on the part of the military authorities. However, in an area that has learned from unwarmed promises, the credibility of the security speech will depend on the army’s ability to transform these words into tangible actions.
It is relevant to evoke the previous military initiatives that have often failed to establish lasting peace. For example, in 2013, the operation “Amani Leo” led by the Congolese armed forces aimed to neutralize the M23, but the results were quickly overshadowed by the resurgence of new clashes. The population has learned to be wary of high dignitaries, desperate to note that the promises of security does not necessarily result in concrete results on the ground.
### The importance of civil-military collaboration
Somo Kakule underlined the need for reinforced civil-military collaboration to guarantee peace, an approach based on the conviction that security cannot be reached without the adhesion and involvement of local communities. However, for this collaboration to be effective, it is essential to understand the social, economic and political dynamics that prevail in Walikale.
Statistics reveal that a low income and a high poverty rate exacerbate local tensions, creating a fertile breeding ground for the recruitment of young people by armed groups. On the other hand, a robust local development project could allow these young people to consider other ways than those of violence. The prioritization of community engagement in security programs could significantly reverse the tendency of insecurity.
### a necessary humanitarian perspective
General-Major Somo Kakule, although being at the head of the military forces, must also pay urgent attention to the humanitarian situation of Walikale. With an increasing number of internal displaced people, the duty to protect the population goes beyond military security. Access to health care and basic services must be a priority axis in the military agenda.
Moreover, non -governmental organizations in the region, often perceived as real actors in the field, will have to be involved to provide sustainable health, psychological and economic solutions to the populations devastated by violence.
### Conclusion: to a new security paradigm
The visit of the military governor to Walikale should not remain a simple communication operation, but could be part of a necessary dynamic of change. To become a truly peaceful force, the Congolese state will not only have to hear the cries of despair of its population, but also put into practice concrete development and inclusion strategies.
In short, the mission of General-Major Evariste Somo Kakule could mark a turning point if it is accompanied by a real political will to provide solutions to the roots of the conflict. Peace in Walikale does not depend only on the military presence, but on a sincere commitment to build a future where each citizen can live without fear, in a democratic framework reinforced by the rule of law.