A mass funeral ceremony for 27 students who were victims of a school fire in the city of Bukavu in eastern Congo was held on Monday with the presence of hundreds. At the ceremony, families honored their loved ones with tears and sorrow, and officials paid tribute to the victims by laying wreaths and delivering speeches.
Details of the Fire Incident
The fire occurred in two nearby schools last week in Bukavu, leading to chaos and severe overcrowding among students trying to escape the building. According to local officials, at least 27 students lost their lives in this incident, and many others were injured. Medical staff in the area are facing serious challenges in accurately tracking the number of injured, as the number of casualties was very high.
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Remembrance of Bitter Memories
Anunciata Kujirabuinja Zegabe, one of the attendees at the ceremony, came to say goodbye to her grandson, Theonane Machara Wa Kidogo, who was only 13 years old. With a lump in her throat and tears, she said, "The last time I spoke to him, I asked him to study well so that one day he could be like his teachers, and he was doing well in school." This grandmother continued, "He left home just to go to school and lost his life so simply. This is a tragedy."
Alice Ambika Musafiri, one of the teachers, was crying heavily as she recalled the fire. She remembered how she heard the children's voices calling for help: "Ma'am, I'm stepping on someone!" She said with pain and sorrow, "I had no way to save you. I had no power, so I saved everyone I could."
Security and Health Situation in Eastern Congo
Since February 2025, Bukavu has been under the control of M23 rebels. The Congolese government faces challenges in controlling the eastern part of the country, where more than 100 armed groups are seeking to seize valuable mineral resources. Health services in this area are under severe pressure as it is grappling with the deadliest Ebola outbreak in history, which has killed over 3,300 people and recorded more than 6,800 confirmed cases.
Cornel Nganga, leader of the political-military coalition Alliance of the Congo (AFC), which includes M23, assured families at the ceremony that measures will be taken to protect students from future fires. He said, "Many events happen by the will of God, but many are also due to carelessness and human mistakes." Nganga urged the residents of Bukavu and Congo to think about reducing such losses from today.
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Source: abcnews.com
