Tshisekedi made the remarks during an address to lawmakers, only days after attending the signing ceremony in Washington. Rwanda has not yet responded to the allegations. The US State Department has urged Kigali to prevent any escalation.
Speaking to Channel Africa on Tuesday, Former Journalist Kenny Mathivha said the accusations were unsurprising given longstanding tensions between the two governments. According to Mathivha, both President Tshisekedi and President Paul Kagame have for years disputed the root causes of the conflict, and mistrust remains high.
Mathivha questioned the motivations behind the Washington signing, asking why a regional peace deal was concluded in the US instead of within the Great Lakes region. He argued that previous dialogues had failed because they excluded key armed groups operating in eastern DRC.
“If the rebels are not brought into the process, there is no peace deal at all,” he said, adding that Kagame has repeatedly denied supporting rebel groups in the DRC, while Tshisekedi insists instability is fuelled by Rwandan interference.
Mathivha, who previously reported from Goma and surrounding areas, described the region’s terrain, ethnic dynamics and long-running displacement as major obstacles to lasting stability. He argued that any credible settlement must include rebel leaders, regional governments and international partners working together.
He also questioned the US’s motivation, noting former President Donald Trump’s interest in promoting himself as a global peace broker. “This deal was unlikely to hold from the beginning,” he said, adding that fighting on the ground had already continued despite the signing.
Mathivha criticised the absence of the African Union in the latest process, saying African institutions should be central to resolving African conflicts.
Predicting what may happen next, he said further escalation was likely unless all parties, including rebel factions, were engaged directly. “We will have to wait for Kagame’s response. But as things stand, it is very unlikely this peace deal will hold,” he said.
–ChannelAfrica–
