The leader of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Félix Tshisekedi, has escalated his verbal attacks on the Rwandan president by comparing him to Adolf Hitler.
Tshisekedi, who is seeking re-election, made these remarks at a rally near the Rwandan border, accusing Paul Kagame of behaving like Hitler and ominously stating, “I promise he will end up like Hitler.”
Tshisekedi has consistently accused Rwanda of supporting rebels in the eastern part of Congo, a claim Rwanda vehemently denies.
With the election approaching, Tshisekedi aims to secure support for a second term. Despite efforts to quell violence, including ceasefire agreements and the presence of regional and UN troops, insecurity persists in the eastern region.
Various armed groups, including the Tutsi-led M23 rebels, have caused chaos. Tshisekedi alleges that Rwanda supports the M23 rebels, a claim echoed in a UN experts’ report supported by the United States.
The M23’s actions have displaced hundreds of thousands of people.
In his recent speech, Tshisekedi asserted that he would confront Kagame, accusing him of having expansionist aims akin to Hitler.
Tshisekedi vowed to stop Kagame, emphasizing his determination to protect his country. Adolf Hitler, responsible for millions of deaths, including six million in the Holocaust, ultimately took his own life in 1945 after leading Germany into World War Two.
Tshisekedi has previously labeled Kagame as “the enemy of the Democratic Republic of Congo.” In a BBC interview last year, he described their relationship as “cold” due to Kagame’s decision to attack Congo.
Kagame, dismissing Tshisekedi’s claims, has accused him of being a “war monger” and focused on another rebel group in eastern Congo, the Hutu-led FDLR, which Rwanda sees as a threat.
Responding to Tshisekedi’s Hitler remarks, Rwandan government spokesperson Yolande Makolo characterized it as “a loud and clear threat,” especially in a context where the FDLR is perceived as more armed than ever.
Kagame has been a dominant political figure in Rwanda since the 1994 genocide, during which ethnic Hutu extremists targeted the Tutsi minority, resulting in the slaughter of about 800,000 people.
