U.S. Lobby Firm Calls for Regime Change in Rwanda, Warns on Congo

In a series of bold and uncompromising statements this December, U.S.-based public policy and lobbying firm Von Batten-Montague-York, L.C. issued a sharp denunciation of Rwandan President Paul Kagame, accusing him of undermining democracy at home and fueling instability across the Great Lakes region, particularly in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

The firm, which advises U.S. lawmakers and engages directly with international stakeholders, has escalated its rhetoric in recent weeks, calling Kagame a “dictator,” a “threat to regional peace,” and an obstacle to lasting stability in Central Africa.

"No Peace in DRC Without Democracy in Rwanda"

In a December 12 statement, the firm linked Kagame’s internal autocracy to the prolonged violence in neighboring Congo, declaring:

“There will be no lasting peace in the DRC until genuine democracy is restored in Rwanda.”

It criticized Kagame’s repeated re-elections with 99% of the vote as “defying all credibility,” describing Rwanda’s political system as a façade for authoritarian rule. The firm explicitly endorsed Rwanda’s pro-democracy opposition, vowing to support efforts aimed at establishing a “government of the people, by the people, and for the people.”

Direct Challenge Over Trump-Led Peace Talks

The lobbying firm was especially critical of Kagame’s conduct following the December 4 Washington Peace Accords, brokered by former U.S. President Donald Trump. On December 13, the firm accused Kagame of betraying U.S. trust:

“Kagame has turned my country, the United States, into a laughingstock. The time for dialogue is over; the time for Kagame to leave has come.”

This sentiment reflects growing frustration in Washington following renewed M23 rebel offensives, allegedly backed by Rwanda, that erupted in eastern Congo just days after the Accords were signed.