By Dr. Theogene Rudasingwa
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The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is bleeding, and the betrayal of its people has reached an unprecedented level. For years, the West has bankrolled Rwandan President Paul Kagame’s tyrannical police state and enabled his militaristic plundering of Eastern Congo. With financial aid and diplomatic cover, Western powers have emboldened Kagame’s aggressive expansionism, fueling massacres, mass displacement, and the systematic looting of Congo’s vast resources. Yet now, in a bitter twist of irony, the same Western governments that once shielded him are imposing mild sanctions or merely threatening to do so in response to his relentless destabilization of the DRC. And while the West, albeit belatedly, acknowledges Kagame’s crimes, Africa has done the opposite—it has retreated, turned its back on the Congolese people, and abandoned them to their suffering. This reckless and shameful betrayal by African leaders is an indictment of the continent’s moral and political failure.
Instead of standing in solidarity with Congo, the African Union (AU), the Southern African Development Community (SADC), and the East African Community (EAC) have failed to act, leaving an entire nation at the mercy of Kagame’s war machine. Their silence and inaction have sent a chilling message: Congo must fend for itself. After years of pleading for meaningful intervention, after being ignored and betrayed time and again, it has become painfully clear that neither African institutions nor the so-called international community will take decisive steps to stop Rwanda’s aggression. Just as the world turned a blind eye to the genocide in Rwanda in 1994, today, it looks away as Congo is torn apart. But Congo will not fall. Its people, the African Diaspora, and justice-loving individuals worldwide must now rise and take matters into their own hands. The time for pleading has passed. The time for action is now.
The failure of African leaders is not just a matter of inaction—it is an active betrayal of Congo’s sovereignty and dignity. SADC, which once sent troops to support the Congolese government against M23, has now announced a phased withdrawal, effectively ceding Eastern Congo to Kagame’s forces.
This decision is nothing less than a shameful surrender, an abandonment of the very people these troops were sent to protect. South African, Tanzanian, and Malawian forces, instead of fulfilling their mission to defend Congolese civilians, are retreating, leaving entire communities exposed to Rwanda’s proxy militia.
At the same time, under diplomatic pressure, the DRC government has been forced into negotiations with M23—an armed group guilty of mass murder, sexual violence, and plundering Congo’s natural wealth. Rather than facing punishment for its crimes, Kagame’s regime is being rewarded with diplomatic engagement, reinforcing the impunity with which he operates. The EAC, which includes both Rwanda and the DRC, has utterly failed in its responsibilities, proving itself to be nothing more than a puppet institution designed to protect Kagame rather than uphold justice for Congo. Meanwhile, the AU—an organization claiming to stand for African sovereignty—has not taken any meaningful step against Rwanda. It has imposed no sanctions, issued no forceful condemnation, and taken no action to stop the illegal occupation of Congolese territory. The silence of Africa’s leadership is not just cowardice; it is complicity in the suffering of millions.
The just struggle of the Congolese people is inextricably linked to the struggle of the Rwandan people. For decades, General Paul Kagame has ruled Rwanda with an iron fist, constructing a totalitarian police state built on fear, suppression, and relentless militarization. His regime’s plundering of Congo is not just an external aggression—it is an extension of his authoritarian grip on power, using perpetual war to justify his dictatorship. As long as Kagame remains in control, neither Rwanda nor the DRC will ever experience true peace. Congo will never fully reclaim its sovereignty and territorial integrity until the roots of Kagame’s totalitarian state are entirely uprooted and replaced by a system grounded in the rule of law, democracy, respect for fundamental human rights, accountability, justice, genuine reconciliation, and healing. Only when Rwandans are free from oppression can Congolese lives cease to be collateral in Kagame’s expansionist ambitions. The future of both nations is intertwined, and only through the dismantling of dictatorship and the establishment of true democracy in Rwanda can lasting peace be restored to East Africa.
History has shown that when governments fail, people must rise and lead the struggle for justice. The Congolese people cannot wait any longer for salvation that will never come from foreigners. The responsibility to protect Congo now lies with its people—inside the country, in East Africa, across Africa, and worldwide.
The Congolese people must refuse to be passive victims. They must organize, just as liberation movements did in the struggle against colonial rule, and take their destiny into their own hands. Mass mobilization through protests, strikes, and acts of civil resistance must send a clear message: Kagame’s occupation will not be tolerated. Defensive resistance is also a right—Congo must protect itself from foreign aggression. Communities must organize self-defense groups to shield their homes and families from Kagame’s army (RDF) and M23’s brutality. Meanwhile, every Congolese citizen must become an advocate, documenting and exposing Kagame’s crimes on social media, in international forums, and through independent journalism. The world must hear Congo’s story, unfiltered by propaganda and silence.
Africans cannot sit idly by while another African nation is torn apart. Just as the world united against apartheid in South Africa, the entire continent must rise in defense of the DRC.
Civil society organizations, student unions, religious leaders, and activists must mobilize protests at Rwandan embassies across Africa, demanding an end to Kagame’s war. Economic measures must also be taken—African businesses and consumers must boycott Rwandan goods and services until the aggression stops. No African country should engage in trade or diplomacy with Rwanda while its leader continues to wage war on a fellow African nation. Moreover, African leaders who remain silent must be held accountable. Their complicity cannot be ignored, and the people must demand action from their governments, including imposing sanctions and severing ties with Kagame’s regime.
African governments have failed, and the international community has failed. But the Congolese people will neither forget nor fail. Throughout history, the oppressed have risen to reclaim their dignity and freedom, and DRC will do the same. Kagame’s war crimes will be exposed, and the betrayal of African leaders will not be forgotten. The people of DRC will reclaim their land, dignity, and future.
This is a battle for Africa’s soul. If Kagame is allowed to continue unchecked, no African nation is safe. If DRC falls, the very concept of African sovereignty becomes meaningless. However, the DRC will triumph if the Congolese people, the African Diaspora, and justice-loving individuals worldwide unite in this struggle. Patrice Lumumba once said, “We are going to show the world what the African can do when he works in freedom.” The time for action is now. The struggle continues.
This time, resilient Congolese people will rise to resist, reconcile, and rebuild. And this time, justice will prevail.
By Dr. Theogene Rudasingwa
Co-founder, Rwanda Truth Commission and Rwanda National Congress-ISHAKWE
Washington, D.C.,
USA
March 14, 2025
E-mail: ngombwa@gmail.com
