Kinshasa Rejects Claims of Discrimination Against Banyamulenge

Kinshasa- Government spokesperson Patrick Muyaya has firmly rejected allegations of discrimination against the Banyamulenge community, stressing that such claims risk feeding Rwanda’s propaganda and justifying external aggression against the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Muyaya made the remarks following the funerals of General Peter Cirimwami and Colonel Alexis Rugabisha, the latter a Munyamulenge officer who was honored posthumously for his sacrifice under the national flag.

Muyaya underlined that the Republic recognizes service and sacrifice without ethnic distinction. He emphasized that the Banyamulenge, like other communities, are an integral part of DR Congo’s national life.

President Félix Tshisekedi has echoed the same message. “There are Banyamulenge who have died for this Republic and under the flag,” the president said, adding: “I am tired of this discourse that seeks to stigmatize them, giving barbaric regimes like Rwanda an excuse to intervene under false pretenses.”

Rwanda’s Narrative

For years, Rwanda has accused the Congolese state of committing “genocide” against the Banyamulenge and Tutsi communities, a claim it has used to justify repeated interventions and the arming of the M23 rebellion. But Kinshasa insists these narratives are political manipulation. The posthumous honoring of Col Alexis Rugabisha, a Munyamulenge, highlights how the Congolese state recognizes the loyalty and sacrifice of all its citizens, directly undermining Kigali’s claims of ethnic exclusion.

The government spokesperson highlighted that members of the Banyamulenge community have held senior roles in government, parliament, and the armed forces. This, he said, demonstrates their full participation in Congolese society.

He cautioned against framing conflicts through the lens of ethnic marginalization in a nation of more than 450 ethnic groups, arguing that such discourse misrepresents reality and risks division.