Stay out of our politics, DRC hits back at Rwanda's Kagame

NAIROBI, Kenya - The Democratic Republic of Congo has hit back at Rwandan president Paul Kagame over remarks on the 2023 presidential elections.

President Kagame had alleged that DRC President Felix Tshisekedi is planning to use the ongoing insecurity in the eastern part of the DRC to postpone the 2023 presidential election.

The Rwandan head of state made the allegations while addressing a parliamentary session after the swearing of new members of the Cabinet.

Kagame believes the current leadership of the Democratic Republic of Congo is creating a security emergency a year before the country holds presidential elections in order to find a reason to postpone the elections scheduled for December 2023.

Kagame “This problem can be resolved if one country headed for elections next year is not trying to create an emergency so that the elections don’t take place, not that he won the first elections as we know. If he is trying to find another way of having the next elections postponed, then I would rather he uses other excuses, not us.”

Felix Tshisekedi came to power in January 2019 and DRC will hold its next presidential election in December 2023.

Patrick Muyaya -DRC government spokesperson in his weekly media briefing in the capital -Kinshasa has criticized Rwandan President Paul Kagame for his remarks on the 2023 presidential elections.

“President Kagame does not have the capacity to say anything on the 2023 presidential elections. It would be better if he looked at his [country] first, if people have freedom of speech if they are free to protest, and if he can tolerate any opposition to his unique thought.”

DRC has always accused Kagame’s government of supporting the M23 rebels who control the area in Congo’s North Kivu province.
Mr Muyaya accused President Kagame of creating insecurity in DRC and trying to politically destabilize president Tshisekedi.

Mr. Kagame had earlier said that Rwanda “has no interest in insecurity in Congo” and that he was interested in a peaceful neighbourhood.

GAROWE ONLINE