April 27, 2020

Kagame: Burundi Troops Operating in DRC’s South Kivu Province


Trustworthy and indepth news stories are more important now than ever.
Support our newsroom by MAKING A CONTRIBUTION HERE

President Paul Kagame has denied allegations of Rwandan troops operating in eastern DR Congo, and instead accused Burundi of having government troops there.

Since mid March, Congolese opposition politicians and civil society groups have claimed Rwandan troops are in Rutshuru territory of North Kivu province, leading operations against Rwandan FDLR rebels. At the same time, as inter communal fighting has raged in South Kivu since late 2018, there have been repeated allegations of presence of Rwandan troops.

There are different Rwandan militias in both Kivus. In the North, there is FDLR and RUD-Urunana, as well as other breakaway factions. As for the South, there is P5, FLN and other obscure groups. Rwanda accuses Burundi and Uganda of supporting these Rwandan groups with recruits, safe passage and money.

In South Kivu still, there are Burundian RED-TABARA rebels fighting to remove the government of Burundian President Pierre Nkurunziza. Burundi accuses Rwanda of backing these rebels.

As a result, the geopolitical battles between Rwanda against Uganda, and Rwanda against Burundi, are said to be playing out in South Kivu region.

In a 14-minute response to question about recent information, also carried in international media, of Rwanda Defense Forces (RDF) in eastern Congo, President Kagame divided his explanation into two parts.

First, he began with South Kivu, which he said: “There’s not a single RDF soldier in that territory. I say it with authority.”

Instead, Kagame added: “Our intelligence connection actually tells us we have forces from Burundi, government forces operating from the region.”

Without naming particulars, but in seeming reference to the UN mission MONUSCO, Kagame said the “experts” were the ones spreading “lies” and “rumours” of RDF presence to hide their own failures yet have been there for more than two decades.

“It’s a cocktail, it’s a mess,” said Kagame of the region, adding sarcastically that people may be “deliberately confusing” FDLR and other Rwandan rebel groups with RDF government forces: “FDLR and RDF are two different things.”

Kagame said: “Some NGOs and journalists are able to see battalions and all kinds of things. The government of DRC knows that not a single RDF soldier is there. I don’t know what MONUSCO says or anyone else wants to say. So please, take it from me that there is not a single soldier in that part of the world.”

As for North Kivu, Kagame said Rwanda has only been providing “information” about FDLR and other groups to DRC Govt, which has in turn conducted military offensives.

Kagame said FDLR attack which killed rangers of the DRC’s Virunga park this past weekend is not talked about or reported in media, instead a “monster” has been created of Rwanda.

Kagame also repeated his attack on the UN forces who he said are not dealing with armed groups yet they are there purposely for that.

“Everything comes to be summarized as Rwanda getting involved in DRC. That is the answer that is raised for every problem,” he said.

The press conference was like no other. While Kagame sat in his office, journalists were away and linked via video link. Nearly 80% of the questions were about the government’s measures in response to COVID-19 pandemic.

Kagame declined to give definitive answer as ro whether the current lockdown due to end on April 30, since March 14, will be lifted. Instead, he said cabinet will decide on the way forward putting into consideration the need to return to normalcy, but also ensure the virus doesn’t spread again.

We can't do quality journalism without your support

Perhaps it goes without saying — but producing quality journalism isn't cheap. At a time when newsroom resources and revenue are declining, The Chronicles remains committed to "Serving Your Right To Know The Truth". Stand with us as we document Rwanda's remarkable journey for you and the future generation. Do you value our journalism? We can't do it without you. Show us with your support by CONTRIBUTING HERE.
Email your news TIPS to info@chronicles.rw or WhatsApp +250788351327.
You can also find us on Signal

372 Comments

  1. It’s in reality a great and useful piece of information. I am glad that you simply shared this helpful information with
    us. Please keep us informed like this. Thanks for sharing.

  2. Hi, i feel that i saw you visited my web site thus i got here to return the want?.I am
    trying to in finding issues to improve my web site!I assume its good enough to make use of a few of your ideas!!

  3. A motivating discussion is worth comment. I do think that you should write more about this
    subject matter, it might not be a taboo subject
    but usually people don’t speak about these topics.

    To the next! Cheers!!

  4. I must thank you for the efforts you have put in writing this site.

    I really hope to view the same high-grade content from you
    later on as well. In fact, your creative writing abilities has encouraged me to get my own site now 😉

  5. Useful information. Fortunate me I discovered your website unintentionally, and I am surprised
    why this accident did not came about earlier! I bookmarked it.

  6. You can definitely see your skills within the article you write.
    The world hopes for more passionate writers such as you who aren’t afraid to mention how they believe.
    At all times follow your heart.

  7. Helpful info. Fortunate me I discovered your site accidentally, and I’m surprised why this
    coincidence did not happened in advance! I bookmarked it.

  8. Hello there, I found your site via Google at the same time as searching for a similar subject, your website got
    here up, it looks good. I’ve bookmarked it in my google bookmarks.

    Hello there, just became alert to your weblog through
    Google, and located that it’s really informative.

    I am gonna watch out for brussels. I will appreciate should you continue this in future.

    Many people will likely be benefited from your writing.
    Cheers!

  9. I am not certain where you’re getting your info, but great topic.
    I needs to spend a while finding out more or figuring out more.

    Thanks for excellent information I was looking for this info for my mission.

  10. naturally like your web-site but you need to check the spelling on several of your posts.
    A number of them are rife with spelling issues
    and I find it very bothersome to tell the truth however I’ll surely come back again.

  11. This is a very good tip particularly to those new to
    the blogosphere. Simple but very accurate
    info… Many thanks for sharing this one. A must read
    article!

  12. Hello! I’ve been reading your weblog for some time now and finally got the courage
    to go ahead and give you a shout out from Lubbock Texas!
    Just wanted to tell you keep up the fantastic job!

  13. Thanks for the marvelous posting! I quite enjoyed reading it, you might be a great
    author. I will always bookmark your blog and will come back
    from now on. I want to encourage you to continue your great work, have a nice weekend!

  14. Helpful information. Fortunate me I found your web site by accident, and I am
    shocked why this coincidence didn’t took place earlier!
    I bookmarked it.

  15. This guide will show you the limitless possibilities Lego can offer.
    From recreating famous stadiums like FC Barcelona’s Camp Nou to constructing intricate storylines, it’s clear that Lego is not just a
    toy but a platform for creativity. highest rated lego projects This guide is a
    great way to find the best Lego sets for adults.
    Replicating iconic landmarks with such attention to detail is truly amazing.

    YouTube has a wealth of Lego-inspired videos. I often find myself spending hours watching creative builds.

  16. Я просто не могу не поделиться своим восхищением этой статьей! Она является источником ценных знаний, представленных с таким ясным и простым языком. Спасибо автору за его умение сделать сложные вещи доступными!

  17. Автор умело структурирует информацию, что помогает сохранить интерес читателя.

  18. Oh my goodness! Awesome article dude! Thanks, However I am having difficulties with your RSS. I don’t understand the reason why I can’t subscribe to it. Is there anybody getting similar RSS issues? Anyone who knows the solution can you kindly respond? Thanks!!

  19. Автор предлагает логические выводы на основе представленных фактов и аргументов.

  20. Мне понравилась объективность и сбалансированность в подаче материала в статье.

  21. Это помогает читателям самостоятельно разобраться в сложной теме и сформировать собственное мнение.

  22. Статья представляет несколько точек зрения на данную тему и анализирует их достоинства и недостатки. Это помогает читателю рассмотреть проблему с разных сторон и принять информированное решение.

  23. Мне понравилось разнообразие информации в статье, которое позволяет рассмотреть проблему с разных сторон.

  24. Читателям предоставляется возможность самостоятельно интерпретировать представленную информацию.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *