Paul Kagame and the war in Congo: Here’s what we know

On January 27, M23 rebels, a group synonymous with the March 23 Movement claimed that they had taken over Goma, on the East of DR Congo.

Currently, a new dimension has been added to the war with heated exchanges between the South African President, Cyril Ramaphosa and the Rwandan President, Paul Kagame. In a tense post on X, Ramaphosa accused the Rwandan Army of their role in the death of 13 South African soldiers who died in the new M23 conflict.

He said, “South Africa has lost 13 brave soldiers who were dedicated to their mission and committed to peace. The fighting is the result of an escalation by the rebel group M23 and Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) militia engaging the Armed Forces of the DRC (FARDC) and attacking peacekeepers from the SADC Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (SAMIDRC).”

Kagame in a heated response countered Ramaphosa, noting “If South Africa prefers confrontation, Rwanda will deal with the matter in that context.” The reaction by Kagame suggested an escalation of the crisis despite a lack of geographical border between South Africa and Rwanda.

The Rwandan President also noted in his post, “The Rwanda Defence Force is an army, not a militia.” He then accused the Congolese soldiers of being behind the death of the South African soldiers.

Reports from DR Congo yesterday showed that the relationship between Rwanda and DRC has been critically severed as Congolese protesters went on a rampage, setting ablaze the Rwandan embassy in Kinshasa. The American, French, Belgian, Kenyan, and Ugandan were not left out as protestors attacked the embassies, blaming these countries for letting the war go on.

This three-way conflict in DR Congo, will be difficult to comprehend without an understanding of the context. Why is there international backing from Rwanda for M23 rebels? Why is the South African army on a special mission to Congo? What is the background of the M23 Rebels?

Background

M23 is a rebel movement predominantly composed of Tutsi fighters. Its name, the March 23 Movement, references the peace agreement signed on March 23, 2009, between the Congolese government and the National Congress for the Defence of the People (CNDP), a former Tutsi rebel group. In 2012, CNDP soldiers who were integrated into the Congolese army felt poorly treated and revolted, leading to the formation of M23. The group made its presence known with a bold rebellion against the Congolese government, seizing control of Goma—a key city in the far east of the Democratic Republic of Congo, perched on the border with Rwanda

After the skirmish in 2012, M23 soldiers withdrew from Goma due to pressures from the United Nations’ forces (MONUSCO), as well as negotiations that took place in Uganda. From 2013 up until 2022, M23 remained relatively quiet, dealing with splinters in its ranks. During these years, international support from Rwanda had waned for the group, leading to a break in rank.

In 2022, after strategizing from its camp located in Mount Mikeno areas where Rwanda, Uganda and Congo share a border, M23 launched another offensive on Eastern Congo. This time, the Congolese President, Felix Tshisekedi did not mince words and he was insistent on Rwanda’s support for the rebels, a charge Kagame consistently denied, until a UN Report showed that indeed, Rwanda was backing M23 rebels.

Read also: You are lying Kagame tells Cyril Ramaphosa of S. Africa

Why are they fighting?

The North Kivu province of DR Congo is a mineral-rich province in Congo, holding one of the world’s largest deposits of coltan, used in making electronic devices. The province shares border with Rwanda and Uganda. Coltan and other mineral deposits in North Kivu province have helped to develop a commercial perspective to the non-stop tribal fighting in the region.

Over the years, North Kivu province where Goma is located has been at the heart of military fighting in Congo, including the First Congo War and the Second Congo War. In both wars, one name has rung out consistently, Paul Kagame. During the First Congo War in 1996, the Kagame-led Rwandan Patriotic Army—now the official military of Rwanda, known as the Rwandan Defence Forces—joined forces with the AFDL. The AFDL, composed of Tutsi militias from across East Africa, aimed to overthrow Congolese dictator Mobutu Sese Seko.

After the overthrow of Sese Seko, Laurent-Désiré Kabila took over in Congo, with his administration mirroring the misrule seen under Mobutu Sese Seko. The disgruntled elements in the Congolese army rebelled against Kabila and once again, Congo was thrown into war. The Second Congo war was catalyzed by a disagreement between Kabila and Kagame’s Rwandan forces (RPA), which led to the formation of a new militia backed by RPA.

When Kagame became Rwandan President in 2000, his forces exercised the highest military control over mining sites in North Kivu province. Records show that in 2000, the Rwandan army exercised export monopoly on North Kivu province, as they accrued over $250 million from coltan exports.

From Laurent-Désiré Kabila to his son, Joseph Kabila to present DRC president, Felix Tshesekedi, there has been a spate of political changes in Congo. Laws relating to mining have significantly changed, and the Rwandan government has found it harder to exercise the level of control they once had over Congolese minerals.

Commercial exploitation of natural resources, tribal dissent that pre-dates colonialism, as well as disjointed tribal militias have come together to provide the perfect recipe for a never-ending crisis in Eastern Congo.

The situation escalated further with the deployment of troops by the Southern African Development Community (SADC) in January 2024, led by South Africa. The Southern African Mission in DR Congo (SAMIDRC) brought together soldiers from South Africa, Malawi, Tanzania, and the DRC’s Armed Forces. This presence of DRC’s Armed Forces has transformed the mission from a peacekeeping force into a direct support unit for the Congolese military.

At its core, the conflict in Congo is evolving into a proxy war. On one side, the South African-backed Congolese army is battling the Rwandan-backed M23 rebels, with both forces vying for control over the region’s lucrative coltan mines.