Rwanda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Olivier Nduhungirehe, has criticised Congolese authorities for failing to prosecute politicians and senior military officers, including a former FARDC spokesperson, accused of using inflammatory and discriminatory language against Congolese Tutsis.
Nduhungirehe said that instead of being held accountable, some of those individuals had been rewarded with meetings and photographs with DR Congo President Félix Tshisekedi.
His remarks followed the Congolese government’s public approval of the arrest of Denise Mukendi Dusauchoy, who is accused of publishing messages supporting the AFC/M23 coalition.
DR Congo Government Spokesperson Patrick Muyaya referred to a statement issued by the country’s Ministry of Justice confirming Dusauchoy’s arrest.
Muyaya also recalled a public warning he issued in August, in which he said Congolese nationals who used social media to insult or attack their country would eventually be reached by the justice system.
Reacting to Dusauchoy’s arrest in a social-media post on Tuesday, Muyaya wrote: “She is the first of many. Wherever you are in the world, justice will reach you.”
Nduhungirehe responded by accusing the Congolese authorities of pursuing selected individuals while overlooking people who had publicly promoted ethnic hatred against Congolese Tutsis.
“Meanwhile, those who openly spread hate speech and genocidal ideology against Congolese Tutsis on social media and Kinshasa’s state television do not appear on any list and have never been brought before Congolese justice,” he said.
The minister named several politicians, military officials and commentators whom he accused of making such statements without being held accountable.
“Worse still, Sylvain Ekenge, Gabriel Mokia, Justin Bitakwira, Martin Fayulu, Chancella Tshala Balandi, Jean-Claude Mubenga and others such as Kalonji Kabamba wa Mulumba publicly deny the existence of Congolese Tutsis,” Nduhungirehe said.
“They call them ‘cockroaches that must be exterminated’ or ‘enemies who must be killed,’ urge other Congolese not to marry them or promise to ‘eradicate the Tutsis from Congo,’ yet they are rewarded with opportunities to take photographs with the President.”
Nduhungirehe also shared photographs showing President Tshisekedi receiving some of the individuals he accused of promoting discriminatory and inflammatory rhetoric.
Dusauchoy was arrested in Tanzania on August 30 under an international warrant issued by Congolese judicial authorities.
The Congolese Ministry of Justice said the arrest was part of ongoing criminal proceedings but did not establish her guilt. It maintained that she remains presumed innocent until a final court decision is issued.
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