It has been nearly a month since M23 rebels seized control of Goma, the main city of the eastern province of North Kivu in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Since then, the rebel leaders have established an administration that appears to be effectively managing public affairs, independent of directives from authorities in the nation's capital, Kinshasa.

For some residents, life has settled into a new normal.

Fidele Nkulu, a motorcycle cab driver, believes that the security situation has improved since the new administration entered the city but that more needs to be done.

"What we've noticed lately is different from what used to happen. At least in terms of safety, we're trying to improve on what we had before, despite the fact that when we come home from work in the evening, there are certain cases of insecurity in our various neighborhoods. But on the road, the situation is good," he told DW.

After capturing Goma in late January, the M23 fighters, who UN experts say are backed by thousands of Rwandan soldiers, swiftly took control of Bukavu, the capital of the province of South Kivu, giving the armed group a major foothold in the region.

According to the UN's humanitarian agency Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the day after Bukavu was taken, life in the city "returned to normal, but local sources reported an increase in crime," particularly burglaries by armed men.

The increase in crime is due to the circulation of weapons abandoned by the soldiers of the army, the agency stated, saying this "raises the risk of an increase [in] insecurity in the province."

Rebels appoint new leadership in Goma

In Goma, Julien Katembo, who was appointed mayor by the M23, is overseeing initiatives aimed at restoring a semblance of normality to Goma. These include community sanitation projects, while the immigration service is now issuing travel documents.

"We are gradually working to establish peace in Goma. We're taking it slowly," Katembo said.

His goal wlll be a challenge, as the city remains flooded with weapons and military equipment after clashes with the armed forces of the DRC. The government believes that more than 7,000 people have been killed in the east of the country since January.

The rebel administration is also making it easier to obtain travel documents.

Samuel Nyiransabimana, who often has to cross the border with Rwanda, said that both the Congolese and Rwandan populations found it difficult to travel because of the resident permit, "but with this new M23 administration, [for] just $10, the document is granted right at the border, and that facilitates movement."

Besides facilitating travel, the rebels have also set up community works which take place every Saturday aimed at improving the city's sanitation.

Some human rights activists accuse the new rebel administration in Goma and other regions of enforcing orders through threats. Reports indicate that some people have been beaten for not executing tasks properly.

Anne Mashagiro, responsible for an avenue in the Katoyi district of the Karisimbi commune in Goma, acknowledged the challenges of complying with the new administration.

"They've been told that everyone has to do this work, and everyone is mobilized. As a grassroots manager, I tell them that community work normally starts from 6:30 am to 10 am. But the new authorities are talking about 6:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. And we have to respect that," she said.

Rebel cities in need of humanitarian aid

Josue Wallay, an activist from Fight for Change, a civil society movement that advocates for social justice, said Goma and Bukavu had been looted, and humanitarian aid was needed.

"The town of Goma currently has no bank and people can't buy food because they have no cash," he noted.

Wallay said he and other activists had encountered resistance.

"We realized that defending the interests of the inhabitants ... seems to be complicated, especially for security reasons," he told DW.

According to the UN's humanitarian agency, the hostilities have "exacerbated food insecurity" in and around Goma and at least 3,000 tons of food were looted from a UN World Food Programme warehouse in Goma.

"The supply chain has been severely disrupted, breaking links between producers, markets and consumers, leading to soaring prices and shortages of products on the local market, according to OCHA.

A fight for minerals

To bring peace to the region, the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and East African Community (EAC) have appointed three former leaders (of Ethiopia, Kenya and Nigeria) to oversee negotiations.

Daddy Saleh, a political analyst and lecturer in North Kivu, explained the difficulties.

"The obstacles to peace are rooted in differing perspectives: some see it as a war of mineral plundering and balkanization, while others view it as a war of liberation," he said. He added that without a basis for negotiation, "you need force to negotiate."

Other countries have also weighed in on the conflict. Just last week, the US sanctioned a Rwandan government minister for supporting the M23 fighters, while Britain suspended some bilateral aid to Rwanda and imposed other diplomatic sanctions on Kigali for its role in the conflict in neighboring Congo.

Zanem Nety Zaidi in Goma contributed reporting 

Edited by: Keith Walker