President Paul Kagame has openly aimed at DRC President Félix Tshisekedi, exposing just how toxic relations between Kigali and Kinshasa have become. Speaking in a recent interview with Mario Nawfal, Kagame did not sugarcoat his opinion.
Asked what he would say directly to Tshisekedi, Kagame responded: “I would tell him I wish he weren’t president of that good country.”
It was not a diplomatic slip, Kagame argues that Congo’s leadership has weaponized Rwanda as a scapegoat for internal failures, instead of tackling the real causes of eastern DRC’s long-running instability.
The feud continues to revolve around the M23 rebel group. The Congolese government insists that Rwanda is backing the rebels militarily. Rwanda keeps dismissing it as political propaganda and points instead at Kinshasa’s unwillingness to deal with groups like the FDLR that have roots in the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
Meanwhile, civilians continue to pay the price. M23 has seized key territories in North and South Kivu, pushing families from their homes and worsening one of Africa’s biggest displacement crises. Rwanda says it will not take blame for a situation it has no control over.
Tensions flared again during the latest African Union summit. Rwanda refused any moves that could undermine its sovereignty, signaling that Kigali won’t bow to pressure simply because bigger powers want a quick fix.
Regional leaders are now trying another diplomatic push. Talks between Kinshasa and the rebels are scheduled to begin in Luanda, Angola, on March 18, 2025. Tshisekedi is still accusing the rebels of exploiting Congo’s mineral wealth. Kigali views that as yet another narrative crafted for international sympathy instead of accountability.
What is clear is that Kagame’s message wasn’t just for Tshisekedi. It was for anyone still pretending the crisis will resolve itself without confronting the politics breaking Congo from within.
Author
About The Author
