Residents of Rubavu town are still shaken by the death of some of their compatriots due to bombshells from DR Congo on Monday, January 27, but there is general feeling of cautious optimism that the chaotic environment across the border in Goma, the capital of DR Congo's North Kivu Province, will end soon.
It comes after the AFC/M23 rebels early Monday announced that they captured Goma but sporadic gunfire and bombing continued in the city, with some bombshells ending up in neighbouring Rubavu.
Albert Mutsinzi, a hardware shop owner in Rubavu, told The New Times that he stayed home for the better part of the day but decided to venture out in the afternoon, just to see what was going on outside "and stretch his legs as well as check on his neighbours."
Despite the sporadic shooting in Goma still being heard from a distance, Mutsinzi said he was sure business in Rubavu would fully resume "in the next few days."
He added: "The crisis over the border was certainly a cause for concern in the past few weeks.
It's sad we lost people here; this is something I already feared would happen. But this will end soon, especially now that M23 rebels have taken over Goma. This too shall pass and we move on with our lives."
Schools and businesses in Rubavu town closed temporarily and students from schools in the city sent home as heavy fighting erupted across the border in Goma.
About five kilometres away from Mutsinzi's home, on the outskirts, roads were busy.
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On the outskirts of the city, Vestine Mukarukundo, a mother of two, was roasting and selling maize by the roadside in a busy part of Kaniga Village, in Rugerero Sector.
She said: "We still fear for our lives but we are calmed by the fact that we see many other people around. We hope this situation will eventually end and we resume our normal lives, fully."
Mukarukundo's friend, Chantal Uwineza, 35, who relocated to the outskirts for the night, was already planning to return to her home in the city.
Uwineza said: "I know this insecurity will not last long. I actually want to return home tomorrow [Tuesday] morning.
I am sure even schools will re-open before this week ends. This shall come to pass. It's just sad that we lost some people but this situation is not permanent. This is what happens when you are neighbours with chaotic neighbours like Congo."
The war between a government coalition and the M23 has been going on since 2021. The government army coalition includes the genocidal FDLR militia, 10,000 Burundian forces, 1,600 European mercenaries, and South Africa-led SADC forces. The conflict escalated last week after the rebels captured new territory, followed by the killing of North Kivu's Military Governor Peter Cirimwami and threatened to march on Goma.
The government coalition has since suffered more losses, including the deaths of the FDLR top commander 'Maj Gen' Pacifique Ntawunguka, alias Omega, and soldiers of the South Africa-led SADC mission and the UN mission.
On Sunday, the government of Rwanda expressed concerns about statements issued by various parties on the security crisis in eastern DR Congo.
