A video circulating on social media, particularly on Facebook, has been presented as showing citizens from the Democratic Republic of Congo's Kasai region leaving their province in search of better living conditions in the Katanga region. The video, published by Didier Bitaki on September 24, 2026, shows a crowd of people carrying luggage on their heads and walking on a muddy road. The post had garnered 700 likes, 262 comments, and 34 shares by September 29, 2026.
However, fact-checking by Eleza Fact revealed that the video was not taken in the Democratic Republic of Congo, but rather in Zambia. Using Google Lens for reverse image search, Eleza Fact found the same sequence on several Zambian Facebook pages, days before it was published by Didier Bitaki. The Zambian pages, including North-Western My Home, Solwezi Trend, and Solwezi City News, associated the images with members of the Evangelical Church of Zambia (ECZ) attending a conference in Kapijimpanga Kituli.
The language spoken in the background of the video is Kaonde, which is spoken in the northwestern part of Zambia, not Tshiluba, which is spoken in the Kasai region of the Democratic Republic of Congo. This was confirmed by Joseph Muwowo, a Zambian journalist contacted by Eleza Fact. The video shows that the participants had to walk part of the way due to heavy rains that made the road impassable for vehicles.
The misinterpretation of the video has sparked mixed reactions from social media users. Some believe the video reflects the real struggles of people in the Kasai region, while others dispute this interpretation. One user noted that the language spoken in the video does not match any province in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The video's misattribution has raised concerns about the spread of misinformation on social media. Eleza Fact's investigation highlights the importance of verifying information, especially when it comes to sensitive topics like migration and economic hardship. The fact-checking process involved submitting the video to reverse image search and contacting a local journalist for confirmation.
The Democratic Republic of Congo has experienced significant displacement of populations between provinces, which has sparked reactions and interpretations on social media. The misinterpretation of the video adds to the confusion and misinformation surrounding these issues. Eleza Fact's findings demonstrate the need for careful verification of information to avoid spreading misinformation.
In conclusion, the video presented as evidence of a rural exodus in the Kasai region is actually footage of Zambian church members attending a conference. The investigation by Eleza Fact highlights the importance of verifying information and the potential consequences of misinformation.
Key points
- The video was taken in Zambia, not in the Democratic Republic of Congo's Kasai region.
- The video shows members of the Evangelical Church of Zambia (ECZ) attending a conference, not people fleeing their homes due to economic hardship.
- The misinterpretation of the video has sparked concerns about the spread of misinformation on social media.
