Kenyan President Calls on DRC to Address Internal Strife
Kenyan President William Ruto has urged the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to confront its internal challenges and cease falsely implicating Rwanda in the violence plaguing its eastern territories.
In an interview with the French media outlet Jeune Afrique, President Ruto stressed the importance of the DRC, led by President Felix Tshisekedi, addressing the root causes of the conflict in the east, primarily driven by the M23 rebel fighters.
During a meeting of heads of state, it was confirmed that the M23 fighters are of Congolese origin, not Rwandan, as President Ruto highlighted.
“As heads of state, during a meeting, we asked: the M23, are the members of this group Rwandans or Congolese? And the DRC told us: ‘They are Congolese.’ End of the debate. If they are Congolese, how does it become a problem for Rwanda? How does this become a problem for Kagame?” questioned Ruto, speaking on the sidelines of the Africa CEO Forum 2024, held on 16th and 17th May in Kigali.
President Ruto emphasized that the security crisis in eastern DRC and the tensions between Presidents Tshisekedi and Kagame required “a Congolese solution” for resolution.
The conflict in the east has persisted and recently escalated with the resurgence of the M23 fighters, who have seized numerous territories in North Kivu Province.
Their rebellion stems from grievances against Tshisekedi’s regime, citing governance issues such as illegalities, indiscriminate actions, and incompetence.
