Politics

President Felix Tshisekedi accuses Rwanda of backing rebels in DR Congo at UNGA

Published

1 year ago

September 22, 2022

President Felix Tshisekedi of the Democratic Republic of Congo, has, again, accused Rwanda of backing rebel groups fighting in the Eastern DRC, an accusation his country had earlier labelled against its neighbours.

This time, Tshisekedi made the allegations at the 77th session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA), where he insisted that Kigali is still “fanning rebel groups” in his country’s territory.

In a speech at the summit on Tuesday, Tshisekedi claimed his efforts to “reunite the country and pursue peaceful settlements have been dragged by continual external interference”, making particular reference to Rwanda, of fomenting rebel movements.

“Despite my goodwill for the search of peace, some neighbours have found no better way to thank us than to support armed groups that are ravaging eastern Congo,” he told the global audience.

“Rwanda, in defiance of international law, has once again not only interfered in the DRC since March by direct incursions of its armed forces (Rwanda Defence Force RDF), but also occupies localities in North Kivu province (eastern DRC) by an armed terrorist group, the M23, to which it provides massive support in terms of equipment and troops.

“Since my election as head of state of the DRC, I have not stopped fighting every day for peace. In order to definitively eradicate insecurity, restore lasting peace and ensure stability in the East of my country, several agreements have been signed with armed groups and even neighbouring countries.”

On several occasions, Rwanda has vehemently rejected the allegations from the DRC and has in turn accused Kinshasha of being the aggressor by firing missiles into its territory and capturing its soldiers.

However, Rwanda is yet to respond to the accusation but is expected to tackle Tshisekedi when Kigali’s representative addresses the UN later in the week.

The fresh allegation could also bring back hostilities between the two countries after Angolan President Joao Lourenço, had facilitated a meeting between Tshisekedi and his Rwandan counterpart, Paul Kagame in July and the two leaders had agreed to reopen dialogue and have their differences solved diplomatically.

Click to comment

Politics

Kenya: Senior ICC prosecutor drops probe into 2007 post-election violence

Published

18 hours ago

November 28, 2023

Ifeoluwa Dada

A senior official of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Nazhat Shameen Khan has announced an end to all further investigations into crimes committed in Kenya relating to violence that erupted following elections in 2007.

The ICC Deputy Chief Prosecutor said the 13-year legal saga, which involved senior Kenyan politicians, had been dropped

“I have reached this decision after considering the specific facts and circumstances of this situation,” she said in a statement.

“Accordingly, the Office will not pursue additional cases into the alleged criminal responsibility of other persons.”

Prosecutors claim that during the nation’s post-election violence in 2010, some 600,000 people were left homeless, and 1,300 people killed in a case in which suspects included former and current Kenyan presidents, Uhuru Kenyatta and President William Ruto. The Hague-based tribunal began looking into the incident in 2010. Six suspects were initially charged with crimes against humanity, which included deportation and murder.

However, in 2014, former chief prosecutor Fatou Bensouda dropped the charges against Kenyatta, and in 2016, the prosecution’s case against Ruto was also dropped due to insufficient evidence. The lack of evidence caused the case against all six to fall apart.

Prosecutors opened a new investigation into witness intimidation and bribery after Bensouda claimed that an unrelenting campaign of intimidation against victims and witnesses prevented a trial.

Decades after the “third wave of democratisation,” widespread violence still occurs in sub-Saharan Africa after elections. Nigeria, Ivory Coast, and Zimbabwe, among others, have had their share of election conflicts.

Kenya is still not free from election disturbances, as levels of violence also played out during and after the 2022 elections.

Politics

Sierra Leonean govt finally labels weekend attack ‘failed coup’

Published

22 hours ago

November 28, 2023

Ifeoluwa Dada

The Sierra Leonean government has finally labelled attacks on several locations in the capital, Freetown, on Sunday as failed attempt to overthrow the government, having previously refraining from so classifying it.

Authorities in the West African nation said that gunmen stormed a military barracks, a prison, and other locations on Sunday, freeing roughly 2,200 prisoners and leaving over 20 people dead. On Monday, everything had returned to normal.

“The incident was a failed attempted coup. The intention was to illegally subvert and overthrow a democratically elected government,” said President Julius Bio.

“The attempt failed, and plenty of the leaders are either in police custody or on the run. We will try to capture them and bring them to the full force of the laws of Sierra Leone.”

The tense situation in Sierra Leone, which is still recuperating from a civil war that claimed over 50,000 lives between 1991 and 2002, has persisted since Bio was re-elected in June.

International allies, such as the US and the EU, questioned the outcome, and the major opposition candidate rejected it.