{"id":2000122066,"date":"2026-08-11T09:33:53","date_gmt":"2026-08-11T07:33:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/?p=2000122066"},"modified":"2026-08-11T09:33:55","modified_gmt":"2026-08-11T07:33:55","slug":"congolese-tutsi-refugees-link-tshisekedis-constitutional-reform-to-plans-to-strip-them-of-citizenship","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/congolese-tutsi-refugees-link-tshisekedis-constitutional-reform-to-plans-to-strip-them-of-citizenship\/","title":{"rendered":"Congolese Tutsi refugees link Tshisekedi\u2019s constitutional reform to plans to strip them of citizenship"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The refugees made the allegations on August 10, 2026, during a commemoration marking the 22nd anniversary of the massacre of Congolese Tutsi at 14 different locations, including the Gatumba refugee camp in Burundi.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The commemoration was preceded by a memorial walk and a candle-lighting ceremony. The refugees, some of whom have spent more than 30 years in Rwanda, said they remain hopeful that they will eventually return to the DRC and obtain justice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The commemoration comes as the DRC advances plans to revise its Constitution, a process critics say could pave the way for Tshisekedi to seek a third presidential term.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Joseph Mpumuro, coordinator of Congolese refugee camps in Rwanda, alleged that the proposed constitutional changes are also intended to deprive Congolese Tutsi of their citizenship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cApart from seeking to run for a third term, Tshisekedi wants to strip us of our citizenship so that he can eliminate us,\u201d Mpumuro said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He said discrimination against Congolese Tutsi dates back 141 years, linking its origins to the 1885 Berlin Conference, which established colonial boundaries in Africa and resulted in territories that had previously been linked to Rwanda being incorporated into what is now the DRC.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCongolese refugees want justice. We want to return home to Congo,\u201d Mpumuro said. \u201cYoung Congolese refugees should work towards returning home rather than focusing on going abroad, because you cannot live in a foreign land without a homeland.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Benjamin Ndarishize, a survivor of the Gatumba massacre, recalled how they fled Uvira and sought refuge in Burundi, where they were placed in a camp near the border. In 2004, attackers reportedly stormed the camp, setting it on fire, hacking survivors who escaped the flames and shooting others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBurundian soldiers were nearby but never came to our rescue. It was a conspiracy against us,\u201d Ndarishize said. \u201cWe are seeking justice because those who killed us have never been punished. Agathon Rwasa went to the media and claimed responsibility.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Albert Bisore Ngemanyi, who represents the Congolese Tutsi Survivors Voice, an organisation involved in organising commemorations for Congolese Tutsi victims, told IGIHE that more than 15,000 people have been killed in what he described as atrocities against Congolese Tutsi since 1992.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe are calling for justice from the governments of Burundi and Congo. They should pursue Gen. Ekenge and Bitakwira over their use of hate speech,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bisore alleged that attacks against Congolese Tutsi are still taking place, claiming that aircraft from Kinshasa have been used to attack Tutsi communities in Minembwe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Karongi District Mayor Gerald Muzunguthanked the refugees for maintaining a spirit of resilience despite the challenges they have faced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEverything has an end. This is how the world is; people must seek solutions to their challenges,\u201d he said. \u201cWe urge you to continue building unity, cooperation and mutual respect, and to send your children to school so that they can have a better future.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As of March 2026, Rwanda was hosting more than 79,000 Congolese refugees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition to Kiziba, the 22nd commemoration of Congolese Tutsi victims was held in other refugee camps hosting Congolese refugees, including Mahama, Nyabiheke, Kigeme and Mugombwa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
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A memorial walk preceded the 22nd commemoration of Congolese Tutsi killed because of their identity.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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The commemoration event took place on August 10, 2026<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Congolese refugees have lived in Rwanda for more than 30 years.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Kiziba Refugee Camp is currently home to more than 12,000 Congolese refugees.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Congolese Tutsi refugees living in Rwanda have alleged that one of the objectives behind Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) President F\u00e9lix Antoine Tshisekedi\u2019s proposed constitutional reforms is to strip Congolese Tutsi of their citizenship.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":2000122070,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[41],"tags":[151,70],"byline":[170],"hashtag":[],"class_list":["post-2000122066","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news-40","tag-editors-choice","tag-main-home-ighlight","byline-igihe"],"bylines":[{"id":170,"name":"IGIHE","slug":"igihe","description":"","image":{"id":0,"url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/?s=96&d=mm&f=y&r=g","alt":"Default avatar","title":"Default avatar","caption":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","sizes":[]},"user_id":8}],"contributors":[{"id":170,"name":"IGIHE","slug":"igihe","description":"","image":{"id":0,"url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/?s=96&d=mm&f=y&r=g","alt":"Default avatar","title":"Default avatar","caption":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","sizes":[]},"user_id":8}],"featured_image":{"id":2000122070,"url":"https:\/\/cdn.igihe.com\/en\/2026\/08\/kwibuka_ku_nshuro_ya_22_abatutsi_b_abanye-congo_bishwe_bazira_uko_bavutse_bya.jpg","alt":"","caption":"A memorial walk preceded the 22nd commemoration of Congolese Tutsi killed because of their identity.","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","width":1000,"height":563,"sizes":{"thumbnail":{"url":"https:\/\/cdn.igihe.com\/en\/2026\/08\/kwibuka_ku_nshuro_ya_22_abatutsi_b_abanye-congo_bishwe_bazira_uko_bavutse_bya.jpg","width":1000,"height":563},"medium":{"url":"https:\/\/cdn.igihe.com\/en\/2026\/08\/kwibuka_ku_nshuro_ya_22_abatutsi_b_abanye-congo_bishwe_bazira_uko_bavutse_bya.jpg","width":1000,"height":563},"medium_large":{"url":"https:\/\/cdn.igihe.com\/en\/2026\/08\/kwibuka_ku_nshuro_ya_22_abatutsi_b_abanye-congo_bishwe_bazira_uko_bavutse_bya.jpg","width":1000,"height":563},"large":{"url":"https:\/\/cdn.igihe.com\/en\/2026\/08\/kwibuka_ku_nshuro_ya_22_abatutsi_b_abanye-congo_bishwe_bazira_uko_bavutse_bya.jpg","width":1000,"height":563},"full":{"url":"https:\/\/cdn.igihe.com\/en\/2026\/08\/kwibuka_ku_nshuro_ya_22_abatutsi_b_abanye-congo_bishwe_bazira_uko_bavutse_bya.jpg","width":1000,"height":563}}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2000122066","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2000122066"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2000122066\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2000122072,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2000122066\/revisions\/2000122072"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2000122070"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2000122066"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2000122066"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2000122066"},{"taxonomy":"byline","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/byline?post=2000122066"},{"taxonomy":"hashtag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/hashtag?post=2000122066"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}