Kenya-DRC Diplomatic Clash Over Goma Consulate Nomination

Kinshasa, August 18, 2025 – Tensions between the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Kenya have intensified following Nairobi’s announcement of a new Consul-General post in Goma.

On August 16, 2025, the Congolese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, led by H.E. Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner, rejected Kenya’s declaration, reminding that no foreign consul can operate on Congolese soil without prior approval (agrément) and the issuance of an exequatur by Kinshasa.

The DRC stressed that Goma, located in North Kivu, remains under illegal occupation by M23 rebels, a militia backed by Rwanda and sanctioned by the UN and US. For Congolese authorities, any unilateral foreign announcement risks normalizing an occupation marked by war crimes and mass displacement.

Two days later, on August 18, 2025, Kenya’s Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs issued a clarification. Nairobi explained that President William Ruto’s decree was only a nomination of diplomats, not an official posting. According to Kenya, the process requires:

• Parliamentary approval by the National Assembly

• Agrément from the DRC authorities before any official duties can begin

Kenya insisted the reshuffle was a “routine diplomatic exercise” aligned with its Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), denying claims of geopolitical maneuvering.

Still, in Kinshasa, concerns remain. Officials argue the move undermines Congo’s sovereignty and could be seen as de facto recognition of M23 control in Goma. Analysts warn it may also complicate Kenya’s role as a regional mediator in the EAC-SADC-AU peace initiative.

Bigger Questions Raised

• Is Kenya’s diplomacy careless with Congo’s sovereignty?

• Can Nairobi still act as a neutral peace broker in the Great Lakes crisis?

• Or is this a calculated test of Congo’s resolve?

For the Congolese government, the message remains firm: respect sovereignty first.