Lutte pour le changement

Lutte Pour Le Changement (LUCHA [lut͜ʃa]) is a group based in Goma in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo who fights for a class of rights that protect Congoleses' freedom from infringement by governments, social organizations, and private individuals. They ensure one's ability to participate in the civil and political life of the Congolese society and state without discrimination or repression.

The group is a youth-led, nonviolent citizen movement that emerged in 2012 in Goma and soon expanded across North Kivu and into rural areas. Its main goal is to provide an alternative to the armed groups, political parties and NGOs in the DRC that have long dominated the eastern political space. LUCHA frames itself as engaging in a triple critique against the government, civil society and the international community at large. Yet, unlike the armed groups in the area, it does not seek to replace the state, but rather to hold it accountable. Formed amid widespread frustration with corruption, insecurity and delayed elections under President Joseph Kabila, the movement became a prominent voice in nationwide calls for democratic accountability and political reform.

The movement is known for its horizontal organizational model and its guiding philosophy, Luchologie, which emphasizes ethical activism, collective leadership and independence from state institutions and foreign donors. Its campaigns have addressed issues such as access to basic services, arbitrary detention, electoral manipulation and local governance and LUCHA played a visible role in the protests that pressured Kabila´s government to hold long-delayed national elections.

Despite its commitment to nonviolence, LUCHA activists have faced sustained repression including arrests, intimidation, surveillance and internet shutdowns. Human rights organizations have reported that authorities tried to treat the movement as a crime and limit public freedoms by restricting civic space, particularly during the state of siege declared in North Kivu and Ituri in 2021.

Beyond political mobilization, LUCHA has also strongly influenced youth culture in Eastern Congo, inspiring a wave of artistic activism known as "Artivisme". This form of art uses slam poetry, music and visual arts to promote civic engagement and critique governance. The movement is also recognized as a grassroots actor in transitional justice efforts, contributing to local accountability initiatives and advancing guarantees of non-recurrence in conflict-affected communities.