Eugenie Tshiela Kamba, the Deputy Interior Minister of the Democratic Republic of Congo has attributed attacks on embassies in the capital Kinshasa to Rwandan infiltrators.
A protest dubbed “dead city” in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s capital, Kinshasa, on Tuesday turned violent as angry protestors attacked the embassies of Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya, France, Belgium, Japan, and the United States of America.
Protestors were accusing the countries of supporting the March 23 Movement (M23) rebels who captured Goma city in North Kivu province, eastern part of the country, on Monday.
The rebels captured the city of Goma following fierce fighting between the rebels and Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC) soldiers and a coalition that lasted for several days.
The fierce fighting also claimed the life of Major General Peter Cirimwami Nkuba, military governor of North Kivu province, as well as nine South African soldiers who were in the country under peacekeeping and offensive missions.
At the Ugandan and Rwandan embassies, protestors were seen burning the Ugandan flag and furniture.
The remaining furniture was seen being taken. Soldiers attached to the Republican Guard were also captured in a video looting from a supermarket. Police later intervened and started firing tear gas at the protestors.
In the evening hours, Kamba said that Rwandan infiltrators were the ones who attacked the embassies of France and Uganda in particular during the demonstrations.
She argued that the Congolese demonstrated peacefully as usual. She congratulated the police for their rapid reaction to the infiltrators.
“Demonstrations in the embassies in Kinshasa: “It was the Rwandan infiltrators who attacked the embassies of France and Uganda in particular. The Congolese demonstrated peacefully as usual. Congratulations to our police for their rapid reaction to the infiltrators,” says Kamba.
Rwanda is yet to respond to Kamba’s attributions. After the protests, the United States Embassy in DR Congo released a statement advising U.S. citizens to take security precautions like shelter-in-place and then safely depart while commercial options are available.
The statement urged citizens to review personal security plans, ensure their family has enough food and water for several days, pack essential items (clothing, medications, travel documents) in a bag, have a personal emergency action plan that does not rely on U.S. government assistance, and avoid crowds and demonstrations, among other precautions. Kenya has also released a statement condemning the attack.
Okello Oryem, Uganda’s State Minister for Foreign Affairs, also confirmed that the country’s embassy in Kinshasa, DRC, was attacked by protestors, with chairs, desks, and curtains looted. He did not reveal much about the matter.
On Tuesday night, Uganda Airlines released a statement suspending flights to Kinshasa due to the unrest.
The fall of Goma into M23 rebels’ hands has intensified the feud between DR Congo and Rwanda.
The protests could also exacerbate tensions with Uganda. M23 rebels had captured Goma city during the 2012 insurgency but later withdrew after about seven days to allow peace talks with the government.
However, after the withdrawal, the government, in conjunction with mercenaries and United Nations troops, turned against the rebels and launched an assault on them until they fled to Uganda and Rwanda.
The insurgency resumed in 2022, led by Bertrand Bisimwa and Emmanuel Sultan Makenga, where they captured FARDC positions in Tchanzu and Runoni in Rutshuru territory and later advanced to capture the Bunagana border.
Since then, the insurgency has left many parts of North Kivu and South Kivu provinces in the hands of the rebels.
In August 2024, Bisimwa and Makenga allied with the leader of the Alliance Fleuve Congo (AFC), Corneille Nangaa Yobeluo, a former country’s electoral commission chairman, to amplify the insurgency against the government.
The DR Congo government has repeatedly accused Rwanda of supporting M23, a claim that both Rwanda and M23 deny.
The rebels assert that their fight is against corruption, xenophobia, and discrimination within the DR Congo’s leadership.
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