Yakutumba claims to fight for democracy[3] and against the purported invasion of Rwandophone populations in the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
In September 2007, Yakutumba and his political deputy, Raphael Looba Undji, visited Kinshasa at the invitation of then-president Joseph Kabila.
This new development caused Yakutumba to shift his rhetoric to a national scale, claiming Joseph Kabila was an agent of Rwanda.
[4] As the years went on, however, Mai-Mai Yakutumba fell out of political relevance, content with taxing roads, fishing, and gold mining in areas under the group's influence.
[5] The new coalition launched two major offensives in South Kivu in 2017 and 2018, even coming close to capturing Uvira city.
In a recent video statement, Yakutumba re-affirmed the coalition's goals, as well as denounced alleged invasions of the country by Rwandophone groups.
[8] On 19 June 2023, the European Union and United Kingdom placed sanctions on Yakutumba for his alleged role in violating international law and committing wartime sexual violence during the Kivu conflict.