During a joint press conference with President William Ruto, who made an impromptu visit to Kinshasa this weekend, Tshisekedi used the word ‘barbaric’ about Rwanda, although everyone knows that the accusations he levels against Rwanda are a clear political diversion.
As he scapegoats Rwanda, Tshisekedi is busy setting the stage behind the scenes for the postponement of elections scheduled for next year. Cognizant that the Congolese have appraised his rule quite unfavorably, Tshisekedi intends to use scapegoating Rwanda as a wild card to rule on by avoiding being deposed by the Congolese at the ballot.
It doesn’t take much effort to see that the accusations by Tshisekedi and his cronies are plain mediocre political theatrics. The current EAC chairman, Evariste Ndayishimiye, who is overseeing the regional peace process designed for the pacification of DRC, recently stated that the region has no evidence concerning DRC’s accusations against Rwanda. Regional leaders, more than anyone else, are in a better position to know what is going on in their neighborhoods. President Ndayishimiye’s statement should therefore carry more weight than anyone else commentating from afar.
The international community should not take Rwanda’s humble conduct against all these provocative acts and utterances for weakness. It takes a lot of diplomatic maturity to withstand insults and physical security threats, as manifested by DRC’s provocations that have persisted since the beginning of this year.
Rwanda’s composure should count for something.
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