Magloire Paluku, a top cultural advisor to the AFC/M23 leadership and a prominent former media figure in North Kivu, was shot dead on Wednesday, December 10, 2025, in the streets of Goma. Authorities have not yet released details surrounding the shooting, leaving the circumstances of his killing shrouded in mystery.
Paluku, once a celebrated journalist, shaped the media landscape of North Kivu by founding Radio Kivu 1, one of the province’s most influential stations. His transition from journalism to public service saw him rise through the ranks of the Congolese Ministry of Culture, Arts and National Heritage, where he served as a cultural advisor and later as cabinet director.
A close associate of Corneille Nangaa the M23 rebels head, Paluku joined the AFC/M23 political-military structure at a time of heightened tensions in eastern DRC.
His alignment with the movement placed him among the 25 defendants in a major trial targeting Nangaa and other leaders. In July 2024, the High Military Court of Gombe handed him a death sentence on charges including treason, war crimes, and participation in an insurgent movement.
His killing comes at a time when the security situation in Goma and the broader North Kivu region remains volatile.
M23 rebels issued a statement saying they had launched a probe on the identity of the attackers or the motive behind the assassination. Further updates are expected as investigations unfold.
