Keypoints:
- Hundreds march in Mombasa over Sudan and DRC conflicts
- Protesters decry global silence and resource-driven wars
- Calls grow for African-led diplomacy and humanitarian aid
HUNDREDS of residents, human rights activists and civil society representatives marched peacefully through the coastal Kenyan city of Mombasa over the weekend, demanding an immediate end to ongoing conflicts in Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
The march, organised by local peace advocates and community groups, drew participants from across the city who said Africa’s wars can no longer be treated as distant tragedies. Protesters criticised what they described as prolonged international silence as civilian deaths, mass displacement and humanitarian suffering continue to escalate across multiple conflict zones on the continent.
Carrying placards and chanting peace slogans, demonstrators called for African voices to take centre stage in resolving wars that they argue are deeply tied to competition over natural resources rather than purely internal divisions.
‘Africa’s resources, Africa’s suffering’
Speaking during the march, Mwaivu Kaluka, an activist with Kenya’s Communist Party, warned that conflicts in resource-rich African countries pose a direct threat to regional stability and could easily spread beyond their current borders.
‘What is happening today in Congo or Sudan can happen to us tomorrow, because we also have resources,’ Kaluka said. ‘These are not simply ethnic wars. They are conflicts fuelled by powerful interests fighting over Africa’s resources.’
He argued that despite the vast mineral wealth of countries such as the DRC and Sudan, ordinary citizens rarely benefit from those resources. Instead, he said, foreign interference and weak accountability mechanisms have helped to prolong violence while communities bear the human cost.
Civilian toll drives anger and grief
For many participants, the demonstration was driven as much by emotion as by politics. Protesters repeatedly referenced images of starving children, displaced families and overwhelmed health facilities emerging from conflict-affected areas, particularly Sudan, where fighting has triggered one of the world’s most severe humanitarian crises.
‘Those children are our children. We cannot enjoy our lives while others are being killed and have nothing to eat,’ said Fatma Osman, one of the demonstrators. ‘As a mother, I ask myself how I would feel if that were my child.’
Marchers said African societies share a moral responsibility to speak out when civilians are targeted, regardless of national borders, ethnicity or religion.
Pressure on African institutions
Participants urged the African Union, regional bodies and national governments to intensify diplomatic engagement, mediation efforts and humanitarian interventions to prevent further loss of life. Several speakers argued that African-led solutions, backed by sustained political will, remain the most credible path to lasting peace.
Organisers warned that prolonged conflicts in Sudan and the DRC risk destabilising neighbouring countries through refugee flows, arms trafficking and economic disruption, including in regions that are currently at peace.
Rafik Rauf, one of the protest organisers, said the march was intended to mobilise public opinion while pushing institutions to move beyond statements of concern.
‘These peace marches help us engage international organisations, African institutions and the Kenyan government to support efforts aimed at ending the fighting and restoring stability,’ Rauf said.
Humanitarian appeals launched
Alongside political demands, organisers launched appeals for humanitarian assistance, particularly for civilians affected by the war in Sudan. The appeal includes calls for cash donations, food supplies, clean drinking water and basic hygiene items.
Activists said public pressure remains essential to keeping African conflicts on the global agenda, warning that compassion fatigue risks normalising mass suffering.
Organisers confirmed that similar peace marches are planned in other Kenyan cities in the coming weeks as part of a broader campaign to promote African-led solutions to African conflicts and sustained solidarity with affected communities across the continent.
