Nduhungirehe's remarks follow reports that Rwandans who had sought refuge in eastern DRC are continuing to return home. According to figures from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), 3,752 Rwandans have returned home since the beginning of 2026.
Clarifying the details behind the figures in a post on X, Nduhungirehe pointed out that these 3,752 refugees, repatriated with the assistance of the UNHCR and MONUSCO, were located in territory controlled by the AFC/M23 alliance. Conversely, he emphasised that those living under Kinshasa's control are being actively prevented from leaving.
'As for the refugees living in the government-controlled area, they are still being held hostage by the genocidal FDLR, which prevents them from returning to their country and subjects them to miserable living conditions,' Nduhungirehe said.
He further argued that the return of refugees poses a direct challenge to organisations claiming to protect them, as a successful repatriation process disproves their narrative that an ongoing Rwandan refugee crisis exists.
'Finally, it is surprising to see that RFI is attempting to give credence to the arguments of the 'movements that present themselves as close to these refugees', which have consistently obstructed the return of these refugees,' Nduhungirehe wrote.
'Their return would undermine the main argument of these genocidaires, along with their networks in Europe, such as Jambo ASBL, which present themselves as the 'protectors' of these refugees.'
The Radio France Internationale (RFI) report referenced by Nduhungirehe was published on September 20, 2026. While acknowledging that Rwandan refugees continue to return from eastern DRC, RFI raised questions about how information regarding departures from areas controlled by the AFC/M23 alliance is gathered. RFI reported that these concerns were voiced by civil society organisations close to the refugees.
UNHCR statistics confirm that 3,752 Rwandan refugees have been repatriated from the DRC since early 2026, including a recent cohort of 366 individuals returning from Kamanyola as well as the cities of Goma and Bukavu.
UNHCR maintains that these returns are voluntary, safe, and carried out under conditions respecting the dignity of the refugees.
According to data compiled by the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), approximately 194,500 Rwandans remain in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The vast majority are located in the volatile eastern provinces of North Kivu and South Kivu.
Jambo ASBL is a Belgium-based non-governmental organisation largely comprised of diaspora Rwandans whose parents were key figures involved in the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, including high-ranking officials from the former regime of Juvénal Habyarimana. While the organisation claims to advocate for refugee interests and solutions grounded in international law, its members are accused of promoting genocide ideology and collaborating with FDLR combatants and the DRC government.
Kigali points to a recent statement by Jambo ASBL expressing support for a protocol signed between the DRC government and the FDLR on the disarmament, demobilisation and cantonment of the armed group as evidence of this connection.
