KIGALI – Rwanda president Paul Kagame, accused the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) leader Felix Tshisekedi on Wednesday of using the violent crisis in his country’s east to postpone elections.
Conflict with neighbouring Rwanda, which the DRC accuses of supporting the militia but which Kigali denies, has increased as a result of fighting in eastern Congo between government forces and M23 rebels.
As a result of the emergence of M23, diplomatic tensions have reached new heights between Rwanda and DRC, who have both accused the other of supporting rebel groups.
A ceasefire that halted the combat was achieved as a result of talks between the two nations in Angola last week, and many days later the peace still seems to be in place.
In a state address, Kagame claimed that while “the whole world” blamed Rwanda for the crisis, it was actually Tshisekedi who was hoping to profit from the upheaval as elections were soon to be held.
At a swearing-in ceremony for new cabinet members, Kagame said, “This problem may be handled if one country with elections scheduled for next year does not try to create grounds for an emergency so that elections do not take place.”
“If he is trying to find another way of having the next elections postponed, then I would rather he used other excuses, and not us.”
DRC will hold its next presidential poll in December 2023 following the lapse of the incumbent’s term who came to power in January 2019.
A “free, democratic, and transparent” election would be challenged by ongoing instability in several areas of the nation, according to the electoral commission’s statement this month.
