On Thursday, January 16, President Kagame once again spoke negatively about his counterpart Félix Antoine Tshisekedi of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), signaling that their relationship is worsening.
While hosting diplomats representing their countries and various international organizations in Rwanda, President Kagame alluded to Tshisekedi, stating that some leaders appear foolish to him.
He said:
“When I see leaders, I can recognize them, and when I see fools, I can also recognize them. You might wonder what happens when you combine the two. If you are a leader and also a fool, it is a disaster. It is even worse when people in leadership positions choose to be used by fools for certain interests.”
President Kagame further told diplomats that Tshisekedi leads the DRC despite never having been truly elected to govern the country.
He stated:
“The person causing problems in the issue between Rwanda and the DRC has never been elected, and you all know it. Do you know it? This man, Tshisekedi, was not elected the first time, and you know it. You don’t say it in public, but I do—that’s the only difference. And the second time, nothing changed, and you also know that. What values are you imposing on people while failing to apply them to others?”
President Kagame made these remarks as tensions between Rwanda and the DRC have persisted for over two years.
During this period, his counterpart in Kinshasa has frequently used strong language and even insults against him, at one point openly declaring his intention to invade Rwanda and overthrow its leader, whom he called an enemy of his country.
This war of words has also been accompanied by serious actions, such as the DRC expelling Rwanda’s ambassador, Vincent Karega, in October 2022.
Prior to that, the DRC government had also banned all flights by RwandAir, Rwanda’s national airline, from entering its airspace.
There Were Good Times!
Despite the ongoing tensions, the relationship between Rwanda and the DRC was once amicable, especially during the first two years of President Tshisekedi’s administration.
President Kagame at Stade des Martyrs in Kinshasa
In May 2019, President Paul Kagame was among the dignitaries attending the funeral of Étienne Tshisekedi wa Mulumba at Stade des Martyrs in Kinshasa.
Étienne, a former Prime Minister of the DRC and the father of President Félix Tshisekedi, was a key opposition figure against Joseph Kabila’s regime. He passed away on February 1, 2017, in Brussels, Belgium.
On May 31, 2019, during his final farewell, President Kagame was present to offer his condolences and pay respects to Tshisekedi’s father.
Tshisekedi’s Visit to Kigali
Three months earlier, in March 2019, Tshisekedi had visited Kigali to attend the African CEOs Forum, an international business leaders’ conference.
During that visit, he also visited the Kigali Genocide Memorial at Gisozi, where he paid tribute to over 250,000 victims buried there.
Kagame and Tshisekedi’s Friendship
In December 2019, Tshisekedi returned to Kigali for the Kusi Ideas Festival, organized by a Kenyan media company to discuss Africa’s future for the next 60 years.
A widely shared photo from that event showed President Kagame warmly shaking hands with Tshisekedi, a close friend at the time.
Tshisekedi’s Wife Visits Kigali
In June 2019, Denise Nyakeru, the wife of President Tshisekedi, visited Rwanda for two days.
During her visit, she was given a tour of various parts of Kigali, including Kinamba, Gaculiro, Nyarutarama, Green Hills, and finally, the Radisson Blu Hotel.
She was also received by Rwanda’s First Lady, Jeannette Kagame, at a dinner at Kigali Marriott Hotel.
President Kagame’s Birthday Wishes to Tshisekedi
It is rare for President Paul Kagame to publicly wish people a happy birthday, but Tshisekedi was among the few who received such an honor.
On June 13, 2021, as Tshisekedi celebrated his 58th birthday, Kagame wrote on his X (formerly Twitter) account:
“This is to wish my brother and friend, His Excellency Félix Tshisekedi, President of the Democratic Republic of Congo, a happy birthday. I wish you good health and many more years to come.”
Earlier that year, on February 21, 2021, Kagame had also congratulated Tshisekedi on assuming the chairmanship of the African Union (AU).
He wrote:
“I congratulate my brother, President Tshisekedi, on his new role as the leader of the AU. We look forward to working with you to achieve our continent’s common goals.”
At the time, Kagame and Tshisekedi frequently met at various international forums, including discussions aimed at resolving tensions between Rwanda and Uganda.
When Kagame Drove Tshisekedi
In late June 2021, President Tshisekedi visited Rwanda, and President Kagame also traveled to Goma in the DRC following the eruption of Mount Nyiragongo.
During their time in Rwanda, President Kagame personally drove Tshisekedi as they toured areas affected by earthquakes that followed the volcanic eruption on May 22, 2021.
At the time, President Kagame had pledged to build a model village for Congolese citizens displaced by the eruption, but the plan collapsed after tensions between the two countries escalated in the following months.
