Kenyan President Calls for ‘Congolese Solution’ to Eastern DR Congo Crisis, Rejects Blame on Rwanda
Kenyan President William Ruto has called on the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to address its internal issues and cease falsely accusing Rwanda of instigating the violence in its eastern territories.
In an interview with the French media outlet Jeune Afrique, President Ruto emphasised that the DRC and its President, Felix Tshisekedi, should tackle the underlying causes of the conflict in the east, which has been primarily driven by the M23 rebel fighters.
These fighters, as confirmed during a meeting of heads of state, are of Congolese origin and not Rwandan.
“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?” Ruto questioned, speaking on the sidelines of the Africa CEO Forum 2024, held on 16th and 17th May in Kigali.
President Ruto further stated that the security crisis in eastern DRC and the ongoing 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 is in response to grievances against Tshisekedi’s regime, citing governance issues, including illegalities, indiscriminate actions, and incompetence.
Source: DRC News Today
