Rwandan President Kagame accuses Ramaphosa of lying over DRC conversations - The Zambian Observer
Rwandan President Kagame accuses Ramaphosa of lying over DRC conversations
President Paul Kagame of Rwanda has responded to media reports surrounding his recent conversations with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa about the situation in Eastern DRC, accusing the media a nd Ramaphosa of distorting the facts and misrepresenting the discussions.
He expressed concern that the public statements made by South African officials and Ramaphosa himself contained distortions, deliberate attacks, and lies.
Kagame pointed out that such discrepancies between private conversations and public statements reveal serious issues in how these important matters are being managed.
In his statement, Kagame clarified several points. He first emphasized that the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) is a professional army, not a militia, as some media reports have suggested.
He also criticized the involvement of the Southern African Military Intervention in the DRC (SAMIDRC), which he described as a belligerent force rather than a peacekeeping one.
According to Kagame, SAMIDRC was authorized by SADC to engage in offensive combat operations alongside genocidal armed groups like the FDLR, which targets Rwanda and poses a direct threat to the country.
This intervention, he said, displaced the East African Community Regional Force, a true peacekeeping force, and contributed to the failure of the negotiation process.
Kagame further denied reports that President Ramaphosa had issued any “warning” to Rwanda, clarifying that the South African leader had only asked for support to ensure the South African troops had adequate supplies, which Rwanda was prepared to help communicate.
Kagame also confirmed that President Ramaphosa had acknowledged that it was the DRC’s Armed Forces (FARDC), not the M23 rebels, who were responsible for the deaths of the South African soldiers.
Finally, Kagame addressed South Africa’s role in the conflict, stating that while South Africa’s contribution to peace was welcome, it was not in a position to serve as a mediator or peacemaker in the DRC. He warned that if South Africa chose a confrontational approach, Rwanda would handle the situation accordingly.
