In his opening speech at the national dialogue (Umushyikirano) yesterday, President Kagame addressed a number of issues. Among several points, one stood out: his reaction to questions about whether Rwanda’s forces were present in the DRC.
In a reference to a CNN interview a year ago, where one of its journalists Larry Madowo asked him whether RDF was in DRC and he responded that he “didn’t know,” a reply that immediately set social media and certain news outlets abuzz.
Anti-Rwanda groups have been twisting this into proof that Kigali had no clear position or that were in outright denial.
President Kagame, however, was clear and deliberate in his response. He pointed out that the constant questioning was pointless for those unwilling to listen. People repeatedly asked whether Rwanda was in Congo without understanding the context, or the reasoning behind Rwanda’s security decisions. Instead of obsessing over presence, he said, people should first ask why Rwanda would even be there. That question, he explained, already contains the answer.
He elaborated on the political trap behind the question. Denying a presence risks having defensive measures dismissed or misrepresented; admitting it would allow Congo to dump decades of its own internal problems on Rwanda’s shoulders, both legally and politically.
In other words, acknowledging presence could make Rwanda the scapegoat for a crisis it did not create. The cost of denial, he noted, is minimal compared to the potential consequences of outright admission, especially the risk to lives and regional stability.
Kagame emphasized that the endless back-and-forth on the issue trivialized serious matters. Congo’s challenges are its own, not Rwanda’s. Yet, hostile voices and paid propagandists continue to distort facts, spinning every statement into a supposed admission of wrongdoing. They are not interested in truth; they are invested in anti-Rwanda narratives, regardless of context or evidence.
He also criticized the selective scrutiny of journalists. Why are Tshisekedi’s repeated threats toward Rwanda rarely questioned? Why focus on Kigali while ignoring Kinshasa’s responsibility in destabilizing its own region? These are the questions that should receive attention, yet they are conveniently ignored by those chasing headlines.
Ultimately, the message of Rwanda’s Head of State was straightforward: Rwanda will not carry Congo’s burdens, nor engage in games to satisfy political theatrics or media sensationalism.
Conflicts that did not originate in Kigali are not Rwanda’s responsibility to solve.
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