Brig. Gen. Olivier Gasita Flees Uvira Amid Wazalendo Pressure
Brigadier General Olivier Gasita, head of military operations and intelligence in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s 33rd Military Region, has fled the city of Uvira following mounting pressure from Wazalendo militias and their civilian supporters.
According to security sources, Gasita left Uvira at dawn on September 9. Officials noted that his departure immediately restored relative calm to the city, which had been gripped by tension since his arrival.
Reports suggest that the general was escorted to Bujumbura under the protection of his guards, with the involvement of Burundian soldiers.
Gasita’s escape came just a day after violent demonstrations in Uvira on September 8. Local authorities confirmed that three people were killed and five injured during clashes between protesters and security forces.
Protesters, led by Wazalendo fighters and backed by civilians, stormed the office of Uvira’s mayor, Kifara Kapenda, demanding Gasita’s immediate removal from the city. They accused him of being a potential traitor and warned that his presence threatened the security of the region.
The demonstrators later marched to a hotel where Gasita was believed to be staying. His guards reportedly opened fire on the crowd when they attempted to deliver a message ordering him to leave.
“His guards panicked, thinking the hotel might be stormed. That’s when they shot at civilians,” said Alexis Byaduniya, a member of the Wazalendo coalition.
Gasita was appointed commander of the 33rd Military Region by President Félix Tshisekedi in December 2024. Initially stationed in Bukavu, he fled to Kindu in Maniema Province in February 2025 after M23 rebels captured the city.
In early September 2025, President Tshisekedi reassigned him to Uvira, the temporary headquarters of the 33rd Military Region. However, the Wazalendo militia and their supporters strongly resisted his deployment, staging daily protests and road blockades since September 2.
The militias insisted that they would only halt their demonstrations once Gasita was escorted out of the city.
Throughout the protests, Wazalendo accused Brig. Gen. Gasita of being Rwandan, a claim dismissed by the Congolese army (FARDC), which maintained that he is Congolese and continues to back his leadership.
Gasita’s dramatic exit highlights growing tensions between the Congolese military and local self-defense militias, raising further questions about the government’s control in eastern DRC.
