On January 28, 2025, 43 truck drivers from Tanzania who had been stranded in Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), successfully crossed into Rwanda. According to the Rwanda Broadcasting Agency (RBA), a total of 47 truck drivers from Kenya, Tanzania, and Burundi were freed by M23 rebels.
The drivers had been stuck in a parking area near Goma Airport following the advance of M23, a rebel group backed by the Rwandan government, which has been accused of destabilizing eastern Congo.
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Most of the drivers’ belongings were looted as local civilians broke into the parking area, stealing personal items as well as the goods they were transporting.
“They took all our money, phones, and stoves. They offloaded and stole our cargo. It’s a real struggle, they damaged our vehicles and shattered windows,” said Alois Emmanuel Bebe, one of the drivers.
“It’s a disaster. Since we left, we haven’t eaten. Even as we speak now, we haven’t had anything to eat. It has been chaos since the day before yesterday, people were hiding under vehicles,” he added.
The drivers were delivering food for the World Food Program, Tanzania and WFP have an agreement for the country to supply maize for its food program.
The capture of Goma by the Rwandan-backed M23 has sparked protests in Kinshasa against Rwandan aggression in the DRC. These protests have led to the destruction of several embassies in the country, including those of Rwanda, Uganda, and France.
