Tensions between the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda have once again escalated following a sharp response from Rwandan Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe to Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi.
In a strongly worded statement, Nduhungirehe accused Tshisekedi of being “the only one capable of stopping this escalation — and yet the main source of it.”
According to Nduhungirehe, the Congolese leader has deliberately chosen confrontation over dialogue.
“He can stop the war by ceasing his warmongering rhetoric, by ending his public threats to invade Rwanda or bomb Kigali, and by showing basic respect to President Paul Kagame,” the minister declared.
The statement, published on October 9, 2025, comes days after Tshisekedi’s fiery speech at the Global Gateway Forum in Brussels, where he urged Rwanda to withdraw its troops from eastern Congo and called for “a brave peace.”
🔎 Key Accusations by Rwanda
In his detailed rebuttal, Minister Nduhungirehe outlined six main points accusing Kinshasa of destabilizing the region:
1️⃣ Support for the FDLR: Kigali alleges that Tshisekedi continues to shelter and integrate the FDLR genocidaires within the FARDC, despite international agreements calling for their neutralization.
2️⃣ Creation of the Wazalendo Militia: Rwanda claims that the Wazalendo, a local armed group trained and funded by Kinshasa, is spreading hate speech and targeting Congolese Tutsi populations.
3️⃣ Violation of International Conventions: Kigali accuses Kinshasa of hiring foreign mercenaries — from Romania and Colombia — in breach of the 1977 OAU Convention and the 1989 UN Convention Against Mercenarism.
4️⃣ Aerial Bombardments: Rwanda alleges that Congolese drones and fighter jets have been striking villages in South Kivu and North Kivu, killing civilians and violating the Doha Declaration of Principles and the Washington Peace Accord.
5️⃣ Manipulation of International Forums: Kigali denounces Tshisekedi’s “political theatrics” at global events, accusing him of using diplomacy as a stage for blame-shifting.
6️⃣ Partnership with Foreign Troops: The Rwandan government criticizes the DRC for deploying Burundian troops, calling it a breach of regional cooperation mechanisms under the East African Community.
🌍 Regional and International Context
The war of words comes as diplomatic efforts intensify through the United States, Qatar, and the African Union to restore calm in eastern DRC.
Kinshasa maintains that Rwanda’s ongoing military presence — estimated at over 7,000 troops — constitutes a direct violation of Congolese sovereignty.
Meanwhile, Kigali insists that its forces are defending regional security against terrorist elements, particularly the ADF and remnants of the FDLR, operating in the Kivu provinces.
Analysts from Crisis Group and Human Rights Watch warn that the rhetoric between the two presidents risks deepening the humanitarian catastrophe already affecting millions of civilians.
🕊️ A Call for De-escalation
Despite mutual accusations, regional mediators have urged both sides to return to the peace framework initiated in Doha and Washington.
They emphasize that the path to lasting peace requires trust, accountability, and an end to inflammatory speeches on both sides.
✍️ Author: Mangwa
📖 Read More: MecaMediaAfrica.com
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