IGIHE has learnt that DRC mulls sending the soldiers to Angola instead of directly handing them over to Rwanda.
These soldiers of the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) include Cpl Nkundabagenzi Elysée and Pte Ntwari Gad. They were arrested on patrol along the border between Rwanda and DRC.
DRC said that they were arrested in 20 kilometers from the border as they went to support M23 in its clashes with Congolese Army.
However, Rwanda rejected the statement insisting that they were kidnapped along the border on patrol.
On Tuesday this week, DRC President Félix Tshisekedi accepted to release them on the request of Angolan counterpart João Lourenço, who is the mediator between both countries on the issue. Despite the pledge, the country has not yet released the soldiers.
IGIHE has learnt from credible sources that the soldiers were initially detained by FDLR and later handed over to Congolese Army which incarcerated them in Goma.
The time for their release as agreed by Tshisekedi remain unknown but sources indicate that DRC doesn’t want to send them directly to Rwanda. It is said that the country mulls sending them to Angola as the mediator which will hand them over to Rwanda.
Sources also reveal that the aircraft to carry them to Luanda, the capital of Angola from where they will be flown to Rwanda is not yet available.
Meanwhile, protests are escalating in DRC where all political parties including some harbouring destructive ideologies against Rwanda are requesting to stage demonstrations.
Each political party has to write to DRC leadership requesting for a go ahead to mount protests at Rwanda’s embassy in the country.
Rwanda’s embassy is headquartered in Avenue de Justice in Kinshasa. It is located in a multi-storey building which also houses different businesses.
It is said that the embassy’s officials are safe as they have opted to work from home lest they are assaulted by protestors.
On Thursday, protestors turned up in large numbers at the embassy but, according to sources, Police dispersed them because they tampered with businesses operating in the same premises.
More anti-Rwanda demonstrations are expected this Friday.
It has been reported that Vincent Karega, Rwanda’s ambassador to DRC was rescued by Police as protests escalated at the embassy. IGIHE has however learnt that circulated information is not true because Amb. Karega was at his home when the demonstrations were staged.
Speaking to the media recently; the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Vincent Biruta said that Rwanda wants its soldiers released and requested DRC to stop its provocations on Rwandan territory.
“We want such provocations to stop. We want these soldiers released. However, in case these attacks continue to threaten our country’s security, we would be legitimate to defend ourselves and you know that we have capacity,” he disclosed.
Rwanda has been accusing FARDC of working with FDLR. During their clashes with M23 recently, the forces shelled rockets on Rwandan territory which injured people and destroyed houses.
It was the second shelling on Rwanda’s land this year.
Mokaddem was speaking during an exclusive interview with IGIHE following the ceremony to commemorate Genocide against Tutsi for the 28th time organized by Rwandan community in Niamey, the capital of Niger.
The event took place at Radisson Blu Niamey on 28th May 2022.
Mokaddem who is also a lecturer of Philosophy at the University of Montpellier said that Genocide against Tutsi in Rwanda was characterized by extreme cruelty and stressed the need for concerted efforts to prevent reoccurrence.
“Victims of Genocide against Tutsi in Rwanda are an example of abandoned people. This conveys a message reminding the urgency of restoring their dignity by remembering them to keep their memory alive,” he said.
Mokaddem also reminisced on Genocide ideology and hate speeches before and during the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi propagated by media houses including RTLM highlighting that the world needs to learn from it.
“This must remind us to reconsider the value of life, needed ethics and political virtues,” he said.
“What happened in Rwanda should encourage us to think about the power of ideology, propagated words and the role of media in the life of people, in shaping politics and history,” added Mokaddem.
He also expressed serious concerns over people who continue to spread genocide ideology, denying Genocide against Tutsi or tending to misinterpret history to trivialize the Genocide.
Among others, Mokaddem said that denying history of Genocide against Tutsi is ‘coward’ of not accepting the truth and stressed that the world needs to keep a close eye on such people.
“It is a way of misinterpreting history. This means, we have to be vigilant in terms of history related programs, research and anything else helping us to pass down the history to generations to avoid misinterpretation in the context of politics and mindsets,” Mokaddem noted.
He observed that resisting these propagandists should go hand in hand with eradication of impunity through international collaboration.
“Genocide deniers include intellectuals with a view to misinterpret history and truth to win people’s hearts and gain power. It is our responsibility to prevent their distractions which might provide loopholes for other crimes,” he said.
Mokaddem thanked Rwanda’s visionary leadership for having reunited Rwandans following the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
Sacked soldiers include Lt Col Kibibi Mutware, Major Sido Bizimungu alias America, Major Aruna Bovic and Major Mundande Kitambala.
Radio Okapi has reported that the decision taken on 26th May 2022 was announced via DRC’s national broadcaster, RTNC on 2nd June 2022.
Tension between Rwanda and DRC has been escalating following the latter’s accusations that Rwanda supports M23 rebel group in clashes with Congolese Army (FARDC).
Rwanda has categorically rejected these allegations noting that they are ‘baseless’.
Meanwhile, Rwanda accuses DRC of working with the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), a rebel outfit comprised of remnant masterminds of the 1994 Genocide against Tutsi.
The rebel group is based in eastern part of DRC where it continues terrorist activities and plans to destabilize Rwanda.
The collaboration saw FARDC and FDLR recently shelling projectiles on Rwandan territory which injured citizens and destroyed houses.
Towards the end of last week, Congolese Army and FDLR were also reported to have kidnapped two Rwandan soldiers who were on patrol.
In Rwandan and other societies, we see marriage as another step one must take in life. When one grows up and builds oneself, many people wonder when they are going to be tied down or why they do not want to tie the knot.
Our Society views someone who doesn’t want to get married yet or who doesn’t want to get married at all, as someone with a sort of issue or someone who is busy in questionable behaviors. So, people are always asking questions like “when will you marry?”, “when are we partying?” or “when are we seeing a missus?”
I asked one of my male friends the same questions and his answer surprised me. He told me “It’s better that I marry late than marry wrong just to please a bunch of people at a party.”
He said that when a person is in a hurry to get married because of family pressure or some other external pressure, they too often regret it later.
He referenced a Kinyarwanda proverb that says ‘ntawiruka nk’uwayobye’ meaning only the lost are in such a hurry.
“Take enough time to know exactly what you want and what you do no want,” he said
He went on to tell me why he was so cautious about marriage. He said that too many marriages in this generation end up in divorce or some just decide to stick together and suffer for the rest of their lives..
“Nowadays, those who are in a hurry to get married are the same ones who are in a hurry to get divorced. Practically, many marriages now are a disaster. So, why should I be in a hurry to get a wife?”
Some of the reasons behind the increase in divorce cases include adultery, leaving home more than 12 months and domestic violence.
In addition to those who ask for separation or divorce, there are also issues in families that are more likely to be tolerated than filing for divorce since it is considered a disgrace in our society and a sin in many religions.
Apart from that, he told me taking a harsh decision and having a bad wife is one of the things he dreads the most.
“Having a bad wife is not something I wish to my worst enemy, it is difficult to find a good one these days, many women out here have questionable characters, so I have to wait and see who I am happy with, time and age does not matter to me,” he said
Because he is a strong believer, he used the bible to explain to me how not marrying at all is better than marrying wrong.
Even married men and women advise young people to be careful about getting married. They say that marriage is full of challenges and troubles. Therefore, it is better to face them with the right person with whom you share mutual love and respect or you face them alone because you have different directions.
I talked to different married people who advised me to be careful. They all agreed that bad marriage can ruin your whole life and the lives of your children too because they are also affected.
“You have to be careful about getting married if you want to build a lasting marriage,” one said
“Rushing into marriage is like building a house on sand. You have to be careful and know exactly who you want to get married and their family, because in Rwandan culture, when you get married, you also get married to the family. You are stuck for life,” he said
Another person told me that the effects of a bad marriage are not only on the individual or on the spouse but also on the children.
“When parents don’t get along, their children are affected because they live in a household void of love, peace and tranquility,” he said
From these men’s perspective, it is better to go around marriage with patience and delicacy, to do things at your own time and on your own pace.
FDLR is a rebel outfit comprised of remnant masterminds of the 1994 Genocide against Tutsi.
The Spokesperson of FARDC, Maj Gen Léon-Richard Kasonga has said that the army to which he belongs made possible efforts to decimate FDLR that it no longer a threat.
“And do not forget; how many people died on the battle to fight FDLR? How many men, parents, children, young men and girls killed in North and South Kivu fighting FDLR?”
Rwanda raised the concerns recently after learning that FARDC is collaborating with FDLR in its armed clashes with M23.
Rwanda also accuses FARDC of having shelled on its land and kidnapped two RDF soldiers in collaboration with FDLR.
Rwanda denounced these provocations and asked DRC to stop working with the FDLR.
In his statement, Kasonga has alluded to Rwanda’s concerns and sanitized FDLR as a force which poses no security threat.
“We fought these rebels with courage and defeated them on our territory that they are not currently a threat to their countries of origin,” he said.
“We can use ten, nine or eight from a particular place seeking food or medications to survive but they can’t destabilize anyone even the security of their homeland,” added Maj Gen Kasonga.
He explained that he has piled files about FDLR which don’t contain even a single record of the force’s attacks to Rwanda.
“I have files in my office. You can see a large folder about FDLR but you cannot see any attack it waged on Rwanda. We have defeated this group,” noted Kasonga.
Speaking to the media recently; Rwanda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Vincent Biruta confirmed that FARDC is working with FDLR through a plan to help the genocidaire force to stay closer to Rwanda and threaten its security.
“FARDC is Congolese Military. Today, we are informed that they have teamed up with FDLR to fight. They provided them with military uniforms and put them on frontline. However, you can understand that FARDC has own plans as does FDLR. It is about coming closer to Rwanda’s border to conduct terrorist activities in Rwanda,” he said.
“They are fighting together that it seems to be one army. They organize meetings and synchronize plans of intended courses of action. It is a known reality. At the end, they come with MONUSCO under what is termed as support to FARDC,” added Minister Biruta.
“When you work with FARDC knowing that it merged soldiers with FDLR, you have chosen to work with FDLR in that case.”
FDLR is a rebel outfit comprised of remnant masterminds of the 1994 Genocide against Tutsi living in DRC forests. They plotted different attacks to Rwanda mainly between 1995 -1999. They plotted more hit and run attacks later to threaten Rwanda’s security but were repelled back.
While in DRC forests, FDLR birthed many rebel groups including RUD Urunana and FLN which attacked Rwanda between 2018 and 2019 through Nyungwe National Park.
Analysts say that decimating FDLR in DRC might be a loss to some Congolese soldiers who uses the rebel outfit to exploit the country’s natural resources. They further explain that it is the reason why the military can hardly accept its presence and the security threat it poses to Rwanda.
The declaration by FARDC sanitizing FDLR seems to be self-contradictory following last year’s announcement by the Government of Congo claiming that FDLR killed Italian Ambassador to the country.
At the time, the Governor of North Kivu said that FDLR fighters ambushed a motorcade of World Food Programme (WFP) and took passengers including Italian Ambassador into the Virunga National Park and killed them.
“DRC is self-contradicting. If the aforementioned ten, nine or eight people said to be seeking means for survival are the ones who killed the ambassador, how can you declare that they pose no threat,” a political analyst has told IGIHE.
Last year, FDLR plotted attacks to Rwanda and shot five cows belonging to a resident of Bugeshi in Rubavu District. One of them died while others were injured.
Before the incident, members of the rebel force had raided a savings and credit cooperative (SACCO) in the same sector, destroyed commercial buildings and looted residents’ belongings.
Under the call of RCA, 26 Chinese companies in Rwanda including Dongfeng Liuzhou Motors Ltd , Carcarbaba, Choice Logistics, Landy Industries (R) ltd, Master Health, Trend construction company Ltd, Guangzou Homart Industrial LTD, D Mall Hotel, Far East Logistics, Beijing paper corporation ltd, China star construction (Rwanda) co ltd, Brother building materials LTD, World hongmen history and culture association participated in this donation activity to support the government of Rwanda’s initiative of school feeding which they believe both local and foreign companies should support to ensure that all Rwandan children are hunger free when at schools.
They donated stationery, food and beverage, tableware, shoes, and other classroom and daily use materials, as well as cash donation totaling Rwf20,000,000 (approximately US$19,230) to the school, which was received by nearly 1,500 students.
Children represent the country’s future and hope, and their healthy growth is always a major concern of the society. This issue has also been noticed by Chinese entrepreneurs in Rwanda. They think that, in addition to usual business development, it must also take on its own social obligations and pay back to society as a mature firm.
“Students are the future of our country. We have the responsibility to care about the healthy growth of the next generation. We expect that kids would work hard in class, be punctual, and develop into helpful abilities.” Yin Qingri, president of RCA, expressed his hope to lead the way in Rwanda. Overseas Chinese and Chinese enterprises contribute to reducing the burden of students from low-income families and a strong will to be the light and salt of the Rwanda community.
The children expressed their gratitude for the gifts by saying, “Murakoze Cyane! Murakoze Cyane!” “Thank you for your love and help from China,” their teachers couldn’t stop saying. Donor representatives believed that all of their efforts were worthwhile when they saw the children’s cheeks light up as they got their gifts. Despite its minimal money value, the donation is a gesture of goodwill from the bottom of Chinese business man’s heart Notwithstanding the fact that they are living in harsh environments, the children’s positive attitude in learning has arisen our sense of commitment to all of them.
Love swelled at the event venue, and applauding continued. Donors from DongFeng and overseas Chinese in Rwanda gave the children gifts on the spot. The lovely student representatives delivered their acceptance speeches later.
In his speech, Mr. Yin Qingri observed, “The enterprises and caring individuals provide not only financial and material assistance to the students, but also spiritual inspiration. I believe through this event, poor students will treasure their very chance of education more than before. They will strive for excellence, equip themselves with knowledge, and learn the spirit of sharing with love. In the end they can repatriate the community with their help hand if there is such need” At the same time, he hopes that the general public can actively participate in child-care activities, and that many units and individuals can provide a helping hand in the same way that these firms did.
Gicumbi District vice mayor in charge of economic development, Uwera Parfaite thanked RCA for their benevolent activity and welcomed Chinese investors in Gicumbi district by highlighting some of the business opportunities available in the district, notably in tourism sector.
“Gicumbi is a good district which is not far away from Kigali, and we have so many beautiful places in our district. You have all seen Muhazi lake, which might be a great opportunity for Chinese investors, especially in tourism.”
The caring student aid activity has built a bridge of love for educated people from all walks of life and gives hope to poor students. It is intended that society will embrace and care for children, allowing more people to pay attention to, understand, and participate in their lives.
“We, all Rwanda Chinese enterprises are determined to become caring citizens here. Represented by Rwanda Chinese association and China Dongfeng Liuzhou Motor Co.,Ltd., We will do more in various kinds of charity activities with an aim to win the future together with the locals.”
The borders are used by Rwandans crossing to DRC for business reasons town and Congolese vice versa.
On 1st June 2021, Congolese turned up in crowds for protests at the two borders with violent reactions voicing concerns that Rwanda is supporting M23 rebel group in clashes with Congolese Army (FARDC) which is collaborating with the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR).
FDLR is a rebel outfit comprised of remnant masterminds of the 1994 Genocide against Tutsi.
Congolese involved in protests have been heard yelling, speaking ill of Rwanda and insisting that they want to fight Rwanda.
It is said that the protests began from Nyawera area heading to the office of the Governor of Bukavu while others mounted protests at the borders between Rwanda and DRC and Muramba area.
Those seen protesting include motorcyclists, drivers and pedestrians who angrily yelled that they want to cross the border to fight Rwanda.
Demonstrators also requested DRC to close all borders and halt relations with Rwanda.
The Executive Secretary of Mururu Sector, Joyeux Ingabire has said that the demonstrations did not impede movements for people crossing from both sides.
“It is true that they have staged protests but it happened on the side of Congo. They did not come to Rwanda and have not yet confirmed any case of violence against Rwandans,” she said.
Following the protests; the Mayor of Rusizi District, Dr. Anaclet Kibirigi has told IGIHE that Rwandans are advised to think twice and confirm whether the situation is normal before crossing to DRC.
IGIHE has learnt a security meeting has been summoned in Rusizi District to discuss possible consequences of the protests to Rwandans.
During the fight with M23 in eastern DRC, the latter in collaboration with FDLR shelled projectiles on Rwandan territory which injured people and left houses destroyed.
The was the second shelling on Rwanda since March 2022.
Rwanda has at different times explained that DRC’s allegations are baseless and insisted that the crisis is an internal matter of DRC which has to be solved without dragging it into the issue.
