Kagame U-Turn: Rwanda joins africa to Condemn M23 Rebel Takeover
Thursday, May 29, 2025
General James Kabarebe (Photo by Hugh Kinsella Cunningham/Getty Images)
Rwanda has officially condemned the M23 rebel administration in eastern DRC, a surprising twist for a country long accused of supporting the same group.
This statement came during a high-level peace and security summit held in Entebbe, Uganda. The summit brought together 12 African countries under the Regional Oversight Mechanism to monitor peace efforts in Congo and the Great Lakes region.
Rwanda, represented by James Kabarebe (a top government official and former general), joined in denouncing M23’s “parallel administration” in territories it captured from the Congolese government.
The Summit: Who Was There?
Presidents and ministers from countries including Burundi, Angola, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, South Sudan, South Africa, and others attended the Entebbe summit. DRC was represented by Foreign Minister Thérèse Kayikwamba.
They all jointly condemned M23 and foreign backers (a veiled reference to Rwanda) for illegally occupying land and establishing rebel authority structures.
Rwanda's First Public Reversal on M23
This is the first time Rwanda publicly disavowed M23, despite years of Kigali portraying the group as Congolese Tutsis fighting for their rights. Kagame himself once said:
“I don’t understand why anybody would be against M23.”
So what changed?
Political analyst Prof. Jason Stearns told the BBC:
“It’s too early to tell if this is genuine. Privately, Rwanda still supports M23 in conversations with some donors.”
UN Pressure Mounts
The leaders also backed UN Resolution 2773, which calls for:
M23 to stop all attacks and withdraw immediately
Rwanda to cease all military and logistical support
Rwandan troops to exit Congolese territory unconditionally
So far, M23 has not responded to the summit’s resolutions.
Joseph Kabila Back in Goma — Tensions Rise
The summit came just days after ex-DRC President Joseph Kabila landed in Goma. He’s facing accusations of colluding with M23 and lost his senatorial immunity last week.
Meanwhile, he blasted current president Tshisekedi’s government as “dictatorial,” demanding a return to “true democracy.”
🛑 No More Excuses for Armed Groups
Leaders from the summit made it clear:
No country should host or protect war criminals or genocidaires
FDLR, CODECO, ADF, RED-Tabara, and all foreign-backed militias must disarm immediately
Peace is non-negotiable: “No economic growth is possible without peace.”
Even Rwanda’s sworn enemy, FDLR, was condemned and called to be dismantled.
What Happens Next?
The group will meet again in 2026 to check if the resolutions are working.
They reminded all parties that accountability matters, and no peace will come unless armed rebels, including those backed by Rwanda, are disarmed and held accountable.
