Rwanda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Olivier Nduhungirehe, has accused the government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo of supporting individuals who aim not only to destabilize Rwanda but also to revive genocide ideology.
The minister made the remarks on Saturday, April 11, 2026, during a commemoration event marking the 32nd anniversary of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi at Nyanza Genocide Memorial.
Nduhungirehe said that the decision by the President of DR Congo, Felix Tshisekedi, to support Jean Luc Habyarimana the son of former Rwandan President Juvénal Habyarimana, raises serious concerns given the role his father played in events leading to the genocide.
He argued that backing someone who denies the genocide and whose family was closely linked to the regime responsible for it signals a dangerous political intention.
“There is no way someone can support a genocide denier whose parents were involved in it and claim to have no such agenda,” the minister said.
Nduhungirehe further alleged that Jean Luc Habyarimana has promoted genocide ideology and supported groups responsible for violence against Tutsi in the past.
According to the minister, the strategy of President Tshisekedi alongside remnants of perpetrators of the 1994 genocide who are believed to be linked to the armed group Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda goes beyond attempts to destabilize Rwanda and reflects a broader agenda to revive genocide ideology.
“This is not only about trying to overthrow the government of Rwanda,” he said. “There is also a plan to bring genocide back to Rwanda.”
Nduhungirehe questioned how perpetrators of the genocide can still operate despite the crime being internationally recognized and condemned.
However, he stressed that such plans would never succeed because Rwanda’s security forces remain strong and prepared to defend the country.
“Our forces are still here and they are stronger than before,” he said. “Anyone who thinks they can bring darkness back to Rwanda is mistaken.”