The measures were announced as health authorities continue battling an expanding Ebola outbreak in eastern Congo that has infected 1,307 people and claimed 377 lives across three provinces. Officials have warned the epidemic could become the country’s most severe Ebola outbreak to date.

Government Expands Restrictions Beyond Outbreak Areas

Congo’s Ministry of Interior announced Saturday that demonstrations and public gatherings are prohibited in the provinces of Kinshasa, Tshopo, Haut-Uele and Bas-Uele.

Authorities said the restrictions are intended to reduce the risk of the virus spreading into new regions, although none of the affected provinces has reported confirmed Ebola cases.

Separately, the mayor of Goma, eastern Congo’s largest city, also prohibited public gatherings and demonstrations on Monday, including celebrations related to sporting events.

Goma is currently controlled by the Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group, and the ban comes as Congo competes in its first FIFA World Cup in more than 50 years.

Opposition Says Ban Is Politically Motivated

Opposition leaders have challenged the legality of the restrictions, arguing they violate constitutional protections for freedom of assembly.

Prince Epenge, spokesperson for the Lamuka opposition coalition, said the decision appears designed to prevent a demonstration planned for early next month in Kinshasa.

The planned protest opposes proposed constitutional amendments that would allow President Félix Tshisekedi to seek a third presidential term.

Several civil society organizations also condemned the restrictions in a joint statement Monday, arguing they undermine freedoms of expression and peaceful assembly.

President Announces Ebola Response Plan

In a televised address Monday evening, President Tshisekedi unveiled a $319 million national response plan aimed at strengthening efforts to contain the outbreak.

He urged citizens to follow public health guidance, report suspected infections and reject misinformation surrounding the disease.

“Ebola is neither a rumor nor a source of shame,” Tshisekedi said. “It is a health emergency that demands responsibility, solidarity, and truth.”

The president did not directly address criticism of the restrictions on public gatherings.

Health Officials Face Growing Challenges

Health workers have reported skepticism toward Ebola prevention measures in affected communities, along with attacks on medical personnel in parts of Ituri, North Kivu and South Kivu provinces.

The outbreak has also spread beyond Congo’s borders. Authorities have confirmed cases in neighboring Uganda, while France reported one infection involving a doctor who recently returned from Congo.

The United Nations warned Tuesday that a wider regional spread into neighboring countries, including Rwanda and Angola, could cost Africa as much as $3.6 billion in economic losses and eliminate approximately 328,000 jobs.

Conflict Complicates Disease Response

More than a month after the outbreak began, health officials acknowledge that the virus continues to outpace containment efforts.

Authorities have yet to identify the outbreak’s initial patient and continue struggling to trace contacts of infected individuals.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that ongoing violence in eastern Congo is significantly hampering response operations.

In Ituri province, attacks by the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), an armed group linked to the Islamic State group, have restricted access to numerous communities and displaced thousands of residents, adding pressure to already overcrowded camps for people uprooted by years of conflict.

Health officials say the combination of insecurity, population displacement and limited access to affected communities continues to complicate efforts to bring the outbreak under control.

Tags: Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ebola, Félix Tshisekedi, Kinshasa, World Health Organization, United Nations, M23, Allied Democratic Forces, Public Health, Civil Society, Political Opposition, Africa

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Rebels Seize Bukavu as Congolese Forces Retreat

Rwanda-backed M23 rebels have taken control of Bukavu, a major city in mineral-rich eastern Congo, after Congolese forces abandoned it, the government confirmed on Sunday.

The Congo River Alliance, a coalition that includes M23, claimed its fighters entered Bukavu to restore order amid what they called security challenges under the previous administration.

“Our forces have been working to restore security for the people and their property, much to the satisfaction of the entire population,” said Lawrence Kanyuka, spokesperson for the alliance.

Government Forces Flee as M23 Expands Its Reach

The rebels encountered little resistance from government troops as they advanced into Bukavu, a city of 1.3 million people. Many Congolese soldiers were seen fleeing alongside thousands of civilians on Saturday.

Congo’s government vowed to retake the city, but as of Sunday, there were no visible efforts to counter the rebel occupation.

The M23 rebels are among over 100 armed groups fighting for control over eastern Congo’s vast mineral wealth, estimated to be worth trillions of dollars and crucial to global technology supply chains. According to United Nations experts, M23 is backed by approximately 4,000 Rwandan troops.

The ongoing conflict has led to the displacement of more than 6 million people, creating the world’s largest humanitarian crisis.

Rebels Promise to ‘Clean Up’ the City

Standing in front of the South Kivu governor’s office, M23 leader Bernard Maheshe Byamungu, who is sanctioned by the U.N. Security Council for human rights abuses, declared his forces would restore order in Bukavu.

“We are going to clean up the disorder left over from the old regime,” he said, addressing a small crowd of young men, some of whom cheered for the rebels to march to Kinshasa, Congo’s capital, nearly 1,000 miles away.

For the first time, Congo’s government publicly acknowledged the rebel occupation in a social media statement, saying it was “doing everything possible to restore order and territorial integrity.”

Local resident Blaise Byamungu described the situation as chaotic, criticizing the government’s inaction.

“The city was abandoned by all the authorities and without any loyalist force. Is the government waiting for them to take over other towns before taking action? It’s cowardice.”

Fears of a Regional Escalation

Unlike in 2012, when M23 briefly occupied Goma before withdrawing under international pressure, analysts believe the rebels now have political ambitions.

The conflict is deeply rooted in ethnic tensions. M23 claims to be defending Congo’s ethnic Tutsis, while Rwanda accuses Congo of collaborating with Hutu militias, some of whom were responsible for the 1994 Rwandan genocide.

Although Rwanda insists that Hutu militias are integrated into the Congolese military, Kinshasa denies these allegations.

A significant change in M23’s leadership has raised concerns. The group’s new face, Corneille Nangaa, is not Tutsi, which political scientist Christian Moleka believes is a strategic move to present M23 as a Congolese movement rather than a Rwanda-backed militia.

International Response and Regional Stakes

Congo’s President Félix Tshisekedi initially denied Bukavu had fallen, but later warned of a regional war if the situation escalates.

Government forces are receiving support from South African troops in Goma and Burundian forces in Bukavu. However, Burundi’s President, Évariste Ndayishimiye, hinted that his country would not retaliate against M23.

The crisis was a key topic at the African Union summit in Ethiopia over the weekend, where U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres warned of a wider regional conflict.

Despite growing tensions, African leaders and the international community remain hesitant to take strong action against M23 or Rwanda, whose military is one of the strongest in Africa. Most continue to call for a ceasefire and dialogue, but with rebels now in control of a second major city, the situation remains dire.

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