Donat Kwenga Omari

Kwenga Omari, alias Donat, is a Congolese national and former leader of a Raia Mutomboki militia accused of crimes against humanity, allegedly committed in the territories of Shabunda and Kalehe in the East of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) between 2017 and 2021.

Between 2010 and 2012, Donat deserted the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC), where he held a rank of Major, and created the Raia Mutomboki militia with Ngandu Lundimu. In December 2017, the armed group split into two wings, Donat proclaimed himself Brigadier General of one of the factions and established his headquarters in Mumbili, where he is said to be originally from. In 2018, he presided over a coalition of Raia Mutomboki (RM) armed groups called “Forces Populaires de Paix”. Along with deputies and operations directors, he was the mastermind behind the coalition’s attacks. Donat held a leadership position and, with deputies and directors of operations, was the brains behind the coalition’s attacks. On November 16, 2021, after being seriously wounded, he was transferred to the Bukavu general hospital. He has been held in Bukavu’s central prison since November 18, 2o21.

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

The Raia Mutomboki, or “angry citizens” in Swahili, are local self-defense movements that have structured themselves into armed groups and operate in South Kivu province. These groups began to grow in 2011 in response to attacks on the population by the Rwandan militia FDLR (Forces démocratiques pour la libération du Rwanda), facilitated by a security vacuum caused by the restructuring of the Congolese army.

Raia Mutomboki miltias fought for territorial control by carrying out repeated armed attacks between 2012 and 2021, sometimes against other armed groups present in the region and other times in coalition with other armed groups against the Congolese army. During these attacks, numerous abuses were committed against the civilian population.