Kabila’s Eastern Allis (2001): A look at Mai-Mai guerrillas in DRC.

Laurent Kabila spent 30 years with anti-Mobutu guerrillas in Eastern Congo. These guerrillas became the Mai-Mai – not a tribe but a popular defence movement. Under the command of Kabila’s former companions, they have been fighting occupying troops from Rwanda since 1998. Commander Zofi has liberated a dozen villages. Before the Mai- Mai took control the occupying forces committed terrible atrocities here, as refugees testify. Now a dozen armed men protect each village.

They say Kabila “taught us about politics and the art of war ” after Independence in the sixties. But like all stories in this region, this one is complex. Known as Negative Forces because they are said to work closely with Hutu extremists from Rwanda, the Mai-Mai deftly changed sides more than once during Kabila’s rise to power. Now they consider themselves part of Congo’s army, although they never received many supplies from Kinshasa. As long as their ancestors’ soil is occupied, the Mai-Mai resistance will go on. The new regime may do well to court their continued loyalty.