A growing controversy in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has erupted over alleged tolerance by authorities of anti-Tutsi rhetoric, following a series of inflammatory comments broadcast on national media and shared online.
The debate intensified after President Félix Tshisekedi met with two Congolese expatriates from the United States, discussions officials said focused on national unity and sovereignty. However, critics argued the meeting sent the wrong signal when one of the expatriates posted highly divisive and dehumanising content online that praised violent actions against Kinyarwanda-speaking civilians, a population that includes many ethnic Tutsis.
The issue was further inflamed when Major General Sylvain Ekenge, spokesperson for the Armed Forces of the DRC (FARDC), made discriminatory remarks about Tutsi women on state television, prompting his suspension by the military high command. Authorities condemned those comments as “incompatible with republican values,” stressing they did not reflect official government or military positions.
Observers warn that such rhetoric can heighten ethnic tensions in a region already marked by decades of conflict involving the DRC, Rwanda and numerous armed groups, and could strain diplomatic relations and community cohesion if not addressed constructively by the state.
