His remarks come after the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) announced that it had reached an agreement with the FDLR aimed at dismantling the group through a non-military process.
According to Congolese authorities, the agreement stems from a document prepared by FDLR president Victor Byiringiro, signed on May 30, 2026, and submitted to President Félix Tshisekedi.
The DRC government says the arrangement provides for the FDLR to lay down its arms, have its fighters placed in secured transit centres, and later be reintegrated into civilian life.
The FDLR has proposed that fighters who do not wish to return to Rwanda should be assisted in resettling in third countries.
Rwanda has rejected the agreement, arguing that it is not provided for under the peace agreement signed in Washington in 2025. Kigali has maintained that the FDLR should instead be dismantled in line with the commitments contained in that accord.
In a recent interview with BBC Gahuza, FDLR political spokesperson Cure Ngoma was asked whether the group had agreed on a timeline for implementing the agreement, including disarmament and the reintegration of its fighters. He said no timetable had been set.
“We have not established a timeline because there are also conditions we have raised that must first be addressed,” Ngoma said.
He added that the FDLR wants what it describes as “Rwandan refugees” living in the DRC to be allowed to return home in a manner that guarantees both their dignity and security. Once those issues are resolved, he said, the group’s remaining objective would be to participate in Rwanda’s political process.
“The issue is ensuring that our refugees are guaranteed security and can return to the country with dignity. After that, we can compete on the political stage inside the country,” he said.
Speaking to IGIHE, Nduhungirehe dismissed the proposal for voluntary dissolution, insisting that no political space could be opened to the FDLR and reiterating Rwanda’s position that the group must be dismantled.
“No political platform can be opened to genocidaires. The FDLR must be dismantled, as stipulated in the Washington agreement. Its fighters should be repatriated to Rwanda without any further conditions,” he said.
Some FDLR combatants have in recent years voluntarily returned to Rwanda, where they are received at the Mutobo Reintegration Centre operated by the Rwanda Demobilization and Reintegration Commission (RDRC) in Musanze District.
At the centre, former combatants undergo civic education and reintegration programmes designed to prepare them for civilian life. They also receive vocational training and starter kits to help them establish livelihoods after returning to their communities.
Although the DRC government says its agreement with the FDLR is intended to dismantle the group, information obtained by IGIHE indicates that the two sides have continued military coordination against the AFC/M23 coalition, which controls large areas of North and South Kivu provinces.
According to the information, FDLR leaders held a series of meetings with officers of the Congolese army (FARDC) in June 2026, including in Rutshuru and Walikale territories. The discussions reportedly focused on integrating FDLR fighters into the government-backed Wazalendo militias.
The same information indicates that, despite the announced agreement, the Tshisekedi administration has continued to engage with Rwandan opposition figures based abroad, with meetings reportedly being organised between some of them and FDLR leaders.
Those involved include Jean-Luc Habyarimana, son of former Rwandan President Juvénal Habyarimana; former priest Thomas Nahimana; Fabien Singaye, a brother-in-law of Félicien Kabuga; and Thaddée Kwitonda, a former member of the FDLR leadership.
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