The Front pour la refondation de la nation (FRN) launched the 2026-2027 academic year at the University of Goma on 15 October 2026. This move challenges the Congolese government’s previous directives regarding educational operations in the region. Students attended the opening ceremony amid concerns regarding the stability of their schooling. Claude Iragi, an étudiant à l’Université de Goma, stated, "Nous avions craint une interruption de nos études après l’annonce de la suspension." The event signals a shift in the local management of academic institutions in Nord-Kivu. Authorities in the République démocratique du Congo have not yet issued a formal response to the commencement of classes under the authority of the FRN.
Rise of the New Movement
Joseph Kabila announced the formation of the Front pour la refondation de la nation (FRN) in Goma on 12 October 2026. This new movement assumes a leadership role previously held by the coalition consisting of the Alliance Fleuve Congo (AFC) and the Mouvement du 23 mars (M23). The transition marks a significant organizational change in the eastern provinces, as the FRN effectively replaces the prior coalition of the Alliance Fleuve Congo (AFC) and the Mouvement du 23 mars (M23). Joseph Kabila, who leads the FRN, faces significant legal challenges, having been sentenced to death in absentia in September 2025 for convictions related to treason and war crimes. The announcement of the organization in Goma establishes a new political and administrative force in the area.
Corneille Nangaa, acting as vice-président du FRN, addressed the strategic shift in the organization’s objectives during the transition. "Les jeunes ne doivent pas être sacrifiés en raison des tensions politiques et sécuritaires," he stated regarding the decision to proceed with the academic calendar. The leadership of the FRN maintains that the resumption of educational activities is a core priority for the organization's regional agenda.
Government officials in the République démocratique du Congo previously moved to halt educational operations in the eastern provinces. A ministerial order signed on 20 August 2026 suspended all academic activities at eleven public institutions across Nord-Kivu and Sud-Kivu. This specific ministerial order, which remains the official policy of the national government, mandated the immediate cessation of all classes and administrative functions at these locations. The FRN opening of the academic year at the University of Goma directly contradicts this directive, which remains the official policy of the national government. By initiating the 2026-2027 academic calendar, the FRN is asserting its own administrative authority over the University of Goma, defying the suspension order that was issued by the government of the République démocratique du Congo earlier in the year. The situation remains fluid as the FRN continues to manage institutional operations in Goma, standing in direct opposition to the state-mandated closure of public universities in the eastern region.