Tshisekedi Accuses Kagame of Plot to Annex Eastern Congo

Cairo, Egypt — In a bold and direct accusation, President Félix Tshisekedi has denounced Rwandan President Paul Kagame for harboring territorial ambitions aimed at splitting the Democratic Republic of Congo and annexing its mineral-rich eastern provinces.

Speaking to the Congolese diaspora during a stop in Cairo, Egypt, the Head of State did not mince words:

“His intentions are belligerent and hegemonic. His objective is to split our country and to occupy, or even annex, the eastern part, which is a land very rich in mineral and agricultural resources.”

The statement marks one of Tshisekedi’s clearest public condemnations of Kagame’s alleged expansionist designs and comes amid stalled peace efforts in the eastern region, where Rwandan-backed M23 rebels continue to occupy Congolese territory.

Stalled Peace Efforts & Kagame’s Absence

President Tshisekedi reviewed the series of peace processes aimed at restoring calm to eastern Congo, including the Nairobi, Luanda, Doha, and Washington initiatives.

He lamented the collapse of the Luanda Agreement in December 2024, pointing directly at Kagame’s failure to show up:

“We have not admitted defeat,” Tshisekedi insisted. “We succeeded in mobilizing international momentum aimed at sanctioning Rwanda.”

A Diplomatic Counter-Offensive

The Congolese government has leveraged diplomacy to shift international opinion. Tshisekedi emphasized that:

The Doha process, which produced a declaration of principles with M23, is set to resume this week.

The Washington process, under U.S. mediation, will soon summon both leaders, Kagame and Tshisekedi, for endorsement of a final agreement before President Donald Trump.

This diplomatic sequencing is seen as a calculated move by Kinshasa to maintain moral high ground and show its commitment to peace, while pressuring Kigali to comply with previous commitments.

Rwanda’s Broken Promises

In June, DRC and Rwanda signed a peace agreement calling for:

• Withdrawal of Rwandan troops from Congolese soil

• Neutralization of the FDLR militia

Yet, no withdrawal has taken place. The situation on the ground remains tense. The Congolese army and M23 continue to accuse each other of ceasefire violations.

Despite these challenges, Tshisekedi reassured the Congolese community that the DRC remains firm:

“We are not the aggressors. We are defending our land. And we will not let any part of our territory be annexed, not by Kagame, not by anyone.”

Kagame’s Agenda: Exposed

With this speech, Tshisekedi sent a clear message to the international community: Rwanda is not just an aggressor, it is a regime with colonial ambitions.

Kagame’s repeated military support for M23 and continued violations of Congolese sovereignty, combined with his refusal to attend key peace summits, confirm what Congolese leadership has long warned:

This is not just war; this is a plan to carve out Congolese territory