DRC – President of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Felix Tshisekedi, has announced his intention to address rising tensions with Rwanda.
During a meeting at Place Sainte Thérèse in Kinshasa on Monday, Tshisekedi stated that he plans to seek parliamentary authorization to address the strained relations and respond to perceived provocations.
Tshisekedi emphasized a departure from previous DRC leaders and conveyed a stern message to President Kagame:
“Tell Kagame that I am unlike the former leaders of the DRC he used to have fun with. The DRC has changed, and I will respond to any provocation.”
These remarks come amid heightened tensions, with Kinshasa accusing Kigali of supporting M23 rebels to destabilize eastern Congo—a claim Rwanda denies.
Conversely, Kigali alleges that Kinshasa is arming the FDLR, a genocidal militia group, to terrorize Tutsi communities in North Kivu and orchestrate attacks within Rwanda.
Tshisekedi, facing formidable opposition figures in the December 20 election, has consistently criticized President Kagame during his campaign, accusing him of destabilizing the DRC.
The direct threat against Rwanda underscores the rapidly deteriorating relations between the two nations.
“I am not a leader Kagame can play with,” asserted Tshisekedi, emphasizing the seriousness of the situation.
Rwandan forces have previously been involved in conflicts in the DRC, contributing to the ousting of President Mobutu Sese Seko and attempting to topple Laurent Kabila.
