The Congolese government is once again tightening control over the mining sector in South Kivu. In a ministerial decree signed on May 22, 2026, Mines Minister Louis Watum Kabamba suspended all mining activities for three months in the territories of Mwenga and Shabunda — two sensitive mining zones that have long been associated with illicit mineral extraction, fraud and the financing of insecurity in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

South Kivu is one of the DRC’s main artisanal mining regions, producing gold, tin and coltan, a strategic mineral used in high-tech manufacturing. Much of the extraction in the province is carried out by artisanal miners operating in remote and weakly regulated areas.

The ministry said the suspension was prompted by a “resurgence of illegal mining activities” reported in South Kivu province, particularly in Mwenga and Shabunda. The decree also cites the impact of these activities on national security and territorial integrity, saying revenues generated from illegal exploitation contribute to destabilizing activities in eastern Congo.

The measure follows a pattern already seen several times in South Kivu: temporary suspensions, administrative inspections, selective reopening for compliant operators, followed by renewed illegal practices. The latest decision highlights the government’s continued struggle to establish lasting control over the mining sector in the east of the country, where armed groups and smuggling networks remain deeply entrenched.

Minister Watum Kabamba has recently intensified enforcement operations against illegal mineral exploitation in eastern DRC. During an inspection tour last April in the provinces of Ituri, Bas-Uélé and Maniema, he ordered the closure of several gold mining sites operating without valid mining titles or extraction permits. He also denounced fraud and smuggling networks accused of weakening state control over the country’s mineral resources.

Under the decree, an inspection mission led by the General Mining Inspectorate will be deployed in coordination with other state authorities. The mission will verify the legality of ongoing operations, investigate reported violations, identify those responsible and recommend corrective measures.

Boaz Kabeya