Ekenge resumed the role after being sidelined in late 2025 following comments he made on national broadcaster RTNC, in which he warned Congolese men against marrying Tutsi women.
At the time, Ekenge said: 'Today, if you marry a Tutsi woman, you have to be very careful, you have to be very careful because… they can even give you someone from her family, such as a nephew or cousin, who comes to your home and is not actually a cousin or nephew, but someone who comes to have children with your wife in your home. [When children are born], they tell you that the children were born looking like Tutsis because Tutsis are a superior ethnic group.'
His return comes as the FARDC deals with the aftermath of a September 25, 2026 plane crash in Kenge, Kwango Province, which involved several soldiers. Ekenge signed the military's statement confirming the crash.
The remarks that led to his suspension sparked criticism from Tutsi community representatives and the AFC/M23.
FARDC leadership subsequently distanced itself from Ekenge's comments, saying they did not represent the position of either the military or the government, and announced his temporary suspension.
David Karambi Fati, president of a Tutsi community organisation in North Kivu, said the suspension was insufficient and called for Ekenge to face legal proceedings.
AFC/M23 also condemned the remarks, saying that portraying Tutsi women as symbols of the enemy could contribute to hostility against the community.
Rwanda's Foreign Affairs Minister Amb. Olivier Nduhungirehe likewise condemned the comments, linking them to what he described as genocide ideology, cooperation with the FDLR and attacks against Congolese Tutsis and Banyamulenge.
During Ekenge's suspension, Lt Col Mak Hazukay Mongba served as acting FARDC spokesperson from January 8, 2026. Hazukay had previously been the military's deputy spokesperson.
