Lt Colonel Willy Ngoma serves as the military leader and spokesperson for the Congolese rebel group March 23 Movement (M23). He recently hit the headlines after publicly berating and expelling mercenaries out of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
He is responsible for planning, directing, and overseeing operations carried out by the Tutsi-led insurgent group, primarily active in Eastern DRC.
Ngoma was born in Kiningi , Rwanda in 1974, after which his family moved to Camp Kokolo in Kinshasa, DRC. He began in the M23 as a soldier, and rose up to the Major Commandant role, where he helped coordinate armed conflict against the Congolese government through the help of Rwandan troops.
Nicknamed Ngarurira Ingoma Rutikanga, he was later appointed as M23 Spokesperson, tasked with managing communication between the rebel group, the government, and its international supporters.
The M23, a Tutsi-led rebellion in eastern Congo, has been in conflict with the government for over a decade, claiming the need to take up arms to defend the rights of the minority group.
The situation escalated when M23, along with over 100 other groups, sought control of the mineral-rich eastern DRC, citing the need to protect the region from European exploitation.
M23’s leaders, led by Sultani Makenga and Lt Col Ngoma, have been implicated in war crimes and humanitarian violations while attempting to seize control of the region.
Abductions, looting, child soldier recruitment, sexual abuse, illegal mining, unauthorized taxation, and arms proliferation have plagued the area since the group’s resurgence.
In December 2023, Ngoma was sanctioned by the United Nations for abusing his military leadership to perpetuate conflict and insecurity in the DRC, including committing human rights abuses such as killings, attacks, and sexual violence against civilians.
Ngoma recently gained attention for expelling nearly 300 Romanian mercenaries who had been recruited to fight alongside the DRC army.
In a video clip circulating online, Ngoma was seen harassing the contracted soldiers marching in a single file, chastising them one by one.
“Come on soldier!” he said. “You were fighting for money – we were fighting for our life!”
Reports reveal that the hired soldiers were being paid around $5,000 (Kshs 700,000) a month, while regular Congolese military recruits get around $100(Kshs 14,000) a month, or sometimes go unpaid.
In the clip, Ngoma was seen berating one of the Romanians in French, ordering him to sit on the ground, cross his legs, and put his hands over his head.
He then prodded him about his military training, to which the Romanian replied it was with the French Foreign Legion.
“They recruited you with a salary of $8,000 a month, you eat well,” Ngoma yelled,”We are fighting for our future. Do not come for adventure here,” he warned.
