In a statement on Sunday, December 29, 2024, the Minister called out the Congolese army over "incompetence" both on the battlefield and in spreading what he described as "mediocre fake news."
Nduhungirehe's remarks came after the Congolese army paraded a man, identified as Hakizimana Iradukunda Jean de Dieu, as an RDF soldier allegedly captured in North Kivu during operations on December 21.
"FARDC presents us with a so-called soldier of the RDF who does not know his unit or his commander, and who cannot provide his registration number within the Rwandan army," Nduhungirehe stated.
He further highlighted inconsistencies in the man's testimony, particularly his claimed origins from administrative subdivisionsâ€"such as "Murenge" and "Kazabi"â€"which he said exist in the DRC but not in Rwanda.
The Minister noted that Rwanda's administrative divisions include districts, sectors, cells, and villages, none of which align with the alleged origins of the supposed RDF soldier.
Nduhungirehe also pointed out FARDC's history of similar allegations. He recalled a February incident when the Congolese army introduced "Ndayambaje Abouba" as an RDF soldier. However, the same individual had previously been presented by FARDC in civilian clothing under suspicious circumstances.
'Clearly, FARDC, failing to be a war machine on the ground, have become a #FakeNews manufacturing plant!' the Minister declared.
RDF Dismisses Allegations
The Minister's remarks come two days after RDF also dismissed the claims as fake news.
In a video shared by FARDC, the alleged soldier claimed he was born in Ngororero District and had been stationed in the DRC for over a year. The man also alleged the deployment of four RDF divisions to eastern DRC.
Rwanda has consistently denied involvement in the conflict in eastern DRC, where the M23 rebel group has been fighting the Congolese army and allied forces.
Kigali has repeatedly accused FARDC of harbouring and supporting the FDLR, a militia composed of remnants of the perpetrators of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda.
The Rwandan government asserts that the Congolese leadership's persistent accusations are attempts to divert attention from internal challenges and failures to address the concerns of their citizens in eastern DRC.
This has resulted in strained diplomatic ties between Rwanda and the DRC, withefforts to resolve the stalemate continuing to encounter obstacles.
Wycliffe Nyamasege
