Rwandan President Paul Kagame Accuses South African President Cyril Ramaphosa Of Spreading Misinformation

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Rwandan President Paul Kagame has accused South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and his administration of distorting diplomatic conversations and spreading misinformation about recent discussions between the two leaders regarding the escalating conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Kagame’s sharp criticism came after Ramaphosa publicly addressed the deaths of 13 South African peacekeeping troops deployed under the Southern African Development Community Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (SAMIDRC). The troops were caught in the ongoing clashes between the Armed Forces of the DRC (FARDC)and the M23 rebel group, which is widely believed to have ties to Rwanda.

During a media briefing on Wednesday, South Africa’s Minister of Defence, Angie Motshekga, stated that Ramaphosa had issued a stern warning to Rwanda, cautioning that any attack on South African forces would be treated as an act of war. However, Kagame swiftly took to social media to challenge this claim.

“What has been said about these conversations in the media by SA officials and President Ramaphosa himself contains a lot of distortion, deliberate attacks, and even lies,” Kagame posted on X.

According to Kagame, he had spoken with Ramaphosa twice this week about the situation in the DRC, including a conversation on the same day the South African president made his public statement. However, he claimed that the official version of their discussions was significantly altered.

Ramaphosa’s statement attributed the escalation of violence to M23 rebels and the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF),accusing them of attacking DRC forces and South African peacekeepers. Kagame, however, dismissed this claim outright, asserting that the RDF is not a militia but a recognized national army.

“The Rwanda Defence Force is an army, not a militia. SAMIDRC is not a peacekeeping force and has no place in this situation,” Kagame said.

He further alleged that SAMIDRC’s presence in the DRC was problematic, arguing that it had replaced the East African Community Regional Force, which had been involved in previous peace efforts.

Kagame also contradicted Ramaphosa’s assertion that M23 rebels were responsible for the deaths of South African soldiers, stating that Ramaphosa himself had acknowledged that FARDC, not M23, was responsible for the fatalities.

“President Ramaphosa has never given a ‘warning’ of any kind, unless it was delivered in his local language, which I do not understand,” Kagame remarked sarcastically.

Instead, he claimed that Ramaphosa had requested assistance from Rwanda to help South African troops with electricity, food, and water, a request Rwanda was willing to facilitate.

Kagame’s comments suggest a growing rift between the two nations, with the Rwandan leader making it clear that South Africa lacks the authority to act as a mediator in the conflict.

“If SA wants to contribute to peaceful solutions, that is well and good. But SA is in no position to take on the role of a peacemaker or mediator,” he stated.

Kagame also issued a veiled warning, implying that if South Africa sought confrontation, Rwanda was prepared to respond accordingly.

“If SA prefers confrontation, Rwanda will deal with the matter in that context any day.”

What’s Next?

With tensions mounting and diplomatic relations appearing strained, it remains unclear how South Africa and Rwanda will navigate this growing dispute. However, with ongoing instability in the DRC and regional alliances being tested, both nations may soon be forced to reassess their positions to prevent further escalation.

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