The US has been  silent and  keeping a blind eye on the ongoing conflict in Congo for almost two decades in which many  Congolese children and women have lost lives and untold suffering. The conflict which has been predominantly in the mineral rich eastern part of Congo bordering Rwanda was brought to an end undoubtedly by the recent pressure exerted on the Kagame’s regime and should be appreciated.

However, President Kagame is like a weed that does not die by spraying its leaves, you need to ensure that the roots are not spared either. The deciduous trees can be deceitful if they shed off their leaves, the onlookers might think it’s drying up. The Rwandans across the global should unite against the dictatorial regime in Kigali if they want the roots to be uprooted for not only their security but also the security of the region. Similarly the efforts displayed by the United States, UK, and European Union should be extended to the opening of political space to ensure the durability of the peace in the region.

Kagame is the only bull in the political kraal in Rwanda, this makes it difficult for other would be players to hold Kagame accountable for the crimes he is committing both in Rwanda and the region. Kagame has not only violated the International law on armed conflict but also accused of recruiting child soldiers right from his bush war in 1990s in his RPF/A  a habit he exported to his proxy rebel group M23. Since its independence in 1960, the Democratic Republic of Congo has been riddled with conflict and political upheaval.  However there is overwhelming evidence that Kagame has been sponsoring all the Wars since 1996 including the recent M23 which have devastated the country and claimed the lives of an estimated 6 million people.

Despite peace agreements, outbreaks of conflict still occur in the eastern part of the country. With a population of more than 70 million, it is one of Africa’s most populace countries with a life expectancy of 49 years in a region that averages 54 years. The handling of Kagame with a carrot and stick by the United States might temporary silence the guns in the Congo, but skeptics of the Kagame behavior are not giving it a chance either, with Kagame still around and unchallenged democratically in his own country, the M23 disbanding is by no means not the end of the road in terms of solving these problems of not only Congo but also democratization of the Rwandan politics.

President Kagame is on record of having a hand in the death of three presidents namely Laurent Kabila of Congo, Cyprian Ntaryamira of Burundi and his predecessor Juvenal Habyarimana. Indeed, he publicly threatened to kill the Tanzanian Head of State because the latter had advised him to talk peace with his political enemies.  It is worth noting that Tanzanian forces are part of the UN Intervention Brigade that has been very instrumental in rooting out the M23 rebels from their bases in the Eastern Congo. For those who know Kagame very well do not take it lightly, he will revenge and strike like a cobra injecting venom in its prey.

 

It is therefore not surprising that the defeat of M23 has exacerbated the cold blood that has existed between two presidents since President Kikwete’s advice to his Rwandan counterpart. It is interesting that the international community has not taken the Kagame utterances very seriously. Why should the international community not intervene before it is too late? This time it should not pretend that it didn’t see it coming.  The Tanzania Head of State’s resolve to play his full role in restoring peace in the region has borne him many enemies among the neighbors who most benefit from the chaos they have helped perpetuate in the Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Uganda and Rwanda will namely be the losers if peace returns in the region, indeed violence has long been their cover and their opportunity to loot Congolese resources. But whether they like it or not, Kagame and Kaguta will have to understand that time for peace has now come and times have changed, so they should change their tactics too. It is in this regard that the United States and her allies who hold the Kagame’s budget life support machine exert more pressure on him to open up the political space so that such unreasonable behaviors are not only tackled by the US and the international community but rather by his own people through the democratic  process.

Jacqueline Umurungi

Brussels.