American Republican Congressman Ronny Jackson, who recently visited Kinshasa and Kigali on a special mission, has stated that he does not believe the Congolese government has the ability to control the eastern part of the country. He also warned that if the issue of Kinyarwanda-speaking Congolese is not resolved, the situation will continue to worsen.
Ronny Jackson, who chairs the Military Services Committee on Intelligence and Special Operations in the U.S. Congress, made these remarks on Tuesday while presenting a report on his recent trip.
He said: “I firmly believe that the government in Kinshasa currently has no way of controlling this region.”
He added: “It lacks the resources and capability to have any meaningful influence on what happens there. We know that Uganda extracts minerals from the region. Rwanda does too. Burundi as well. Everyone is doing it, and nothing can stop them.”
He continued: “I think the Congolese government is in a bad position.”
The Congressman also addressed the core issue fueling conflicts in eastern DRC—the denial of rights and recognition to Kinyarwanda-speaking Congolese.
He said: “I have heard that some people in eastern DRC are not recognized as Congolese citizens. Perhaps there was Rwanda before the colonial borders were drawn many years ago. And, as you know, that area was once part of Rwanda, but I can tell you that a large part of Uganda was also once Rwanda. After the borders were drawn, those people integrated and were recognized as Ugandan citizens. But this did not happen in DRC, and I believe that is one of the problems.”
Regarding the economy and the partnership that the Congolese government wants to establish with the U.S., Ronny Jackson pointed out that despite DRC’s vast natural wealth—worth trillions of dollars—it remains a poor country because essential reforms have not been implemented.
He said: “For this to happen, I think eastern Congo should be a place where everyone benefits from stability, security, and the ability for companies to invest in the region. And when I say everyone, I mean DRC, Burundi, Uganda, and Rwanda. We all know that eastern Congo is an ungoverned space, and I firmly believe that the government in Kinshasa does not have the capacity to control what happens there.”
Ronny emphasized that, beyond security concerns, the region should benefit from Congo’s wealth through transparent economic practices to prevent the looting of the country’s resources, ensuring that both the Congolese people and neighboring countries benefit.
He said: “This should be a region where everyone gains, and everyone has a vested interest in maintaining security. I don’t know the exact solution, but I believe neighboring countries should also benefit from eastern Congo’s minerals. Whether they have refining facilities in DRC, Rwanda, or elsewhere, there is an opportunity for everyone to profit from what happens in that region, and I think everyone has an interest in ensuring its stability.”
Ronny also exposed the rampant corruption within the Congolese government, where leaders prioritize their personal interests. He shared a testimony from a Swiss company operating in Kinshasa that faced an outrageous tax demand.
He said: “Corruption is everywhere. When I was there, I was shocked by the level of corruption. This morning, I spoke with a Swiss company that told me their company was valued at $18 billion, but last year they received a tax bill of $80 billion. That makes no sense, right? They refused to pay, negotiated it down to $1 billion—which is still 100 times their profits for the year…”
He further noted that Congo’s justice system is unreliable, making it impossible to invest with confidence, as there is no guarantee of fairness in resolving disputes. He criticized leaders who enrich themselves while ordinary citizens suffer, saying these issues need urgent solutions.
Hon. Ronny Jackson also stressed that Rwanda has legitimate security concerns due to the presence of FDLR and terrorist activities along its border with Congo. He warned that continued attacks on Rwandan territory, including shelling, threaten the country’s tourism industry, which is a key pillar of its economy.
