Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame has said he will not wait for his small country to be attacked by Congolese forces.
“The small size of our country Rwanda means that we will not wait to be attacked at home,” said Kagame during the presidential campaign rally in Nyamasheke on Saturday.
“It would mean fighting on our own territory, and we cannot accept that,” he added.
“We will fight our enemies in the large country they were gifted with.”
Kagame was referring to the DRC whose President Felix Tshisekedi threatened to invade Rwanda.
Late last year, Tshisekedi warned of the possibility of waging war against Rwanda over the latter’s alleged support for M23 rebels in eastern Congo.
“I am going to convene Parliament in congress to authorise me to declare war against Rwanda,” said Tshisekedi during the presidential campaigns, emphasising, “Tell Kagame that I am not like the former leaders of the DRC he used to have fun with. The DRC has changed. I will respond to any provocation.”
While political analysts dismissed the threat as mere political rhetoric aimed at projecting strength during the DRC election campaigns, Kagame said he would not take Tshisekedi’s threats lightly.
After the elections, Tshisekedi backtracked on his threats to wage war on Rwanda, saying he would consider peace proposals from regional leaders.
“I want definitive and true peace for my country, and I want it now,” said Tshisekedi in a public engagement moderated by the government spokesperson, Patrick Muyaya, adding,
“For that reason, I am willing to put aside my commitment to fight.”
M23 war
However, the M23 rebels continue to wage war in DRC, going as far as the border of Butembo after seizing many territories in South Kivu.
This past Friday, M23 rebels captured Kanyabayonga after 30 days of intense fighting, embarrassing Tshisekedi.
Kagame, who is expected to win Rwanda’s July 15 elections, told the people of Nyamasheke that, “We will protect the little we have,” emphasising, “I have made it to all who can hear us, we will not ask for anyone’s permission to protect our country.”
Kagame, whose country’s forces waged wars of former Congolese leaders, Laurent Kabila and Mobutu Sese Seko, further warned “those who still harbour the intention to attack our country or those who have, this is a reminder that they should stay humble, so that we can live peacefully together and work together towards our common development. If they choose otherwise, that is their business.”
The members of the United Nations Security Council recently condemned the series of attacks by M23 that have resulted in civilian casualties and in one peacekeeper wounded.
The UN said M23’s offensive toward Kanyabayonga displaced 350,000 people in the last week, and resulted in the suspension of food distribution operations and hospital services.
Credit: Source link