During a recent CNN interview, President Paul Kagame was asked whether Rwandan troops were in the DRC. His response? A calm “I don’t know.”
That short answer immediately set social media on fire.
Some people saw it as evasive, while others called it a brilliant move.
But beyond the online debates, president Kagame’s response highlights a bigger issue: how Rwanda deals with an international media that often misrepresents the truth.
For years now, several international media outlets have repeated the same false narratives about Rwanda. Instead of digging deep, they rely on reports from UN groups of experts that often lack accuracy and context. When it comes to the ongoing crisis in eastern DRC, the media rarely tells the truth.
The reality is that Rwanda shares a border with a country whose leader, Felix Tshisekedi, has openly made threatening, belligerent statements toward it, and not just once or twice either.
At the same time Tshisekedi has built alliances with those who support his agenda, including Burundi’s Evariste Ndayishimiye and South Africa’s Cyril Ramaphosa. Together, they have helped Tshisekedi in his military machinations, including bringing in mercenaries and heavy weapons, with the ultimate aim of militarily attacking Rwanda.
Before the M23 movement seized Goma, there were attempts to shell Rwanda. But did the media report on that? No. Just like they have ignored the bigger threat the FDLR, a genocidal militia operating freely in DRC with Tshisekedi’s support. Instead of asking tough questions about this, reporters keep focusing on Rwanda, ignoring the dangerous forces on the other side of the border.
This is why president Kagame’s “I don’t know” was the perfect response. Why entertain a question that lacks context? Why play along with a media that refuses to acknowledge the real threats facing Rwanda? Sometimes, the best way to handle a biased question is not to answer it at all.
At the end of the day, we must accept a hard truth Rwanda is on its own. The international media will not tell our story for us. That is our responsibility. We must be smart, strategic, and firm when responding to those who try to misrepresent us. President Kagame’s interview was a reminder that we do not owe the world explanations on their terms.
ellenkampire