IS RUTO ‘MAKING A KILLING’ IN DRC?

William Ruto's greed is putting the eastern African region at risk - so alleges the Kenyan president’s ex deputy, Rigathi Gachagua. The former VP, who was removed from office last October after an impeachment vote, has been busy blowing the whistle on the inner workings of the Ruto government, sharing what he claims is privileged insider knowledge.

In a recent interview with Kenya Television Network (@KTNNewsKE on X), Gachagua made serious allegations about Ruto's involvement in the Democratic Republic of Congo, particularly regarding the gold industry. While the latter has positioned himself as a pan-Africanist, he faces accusations of betraying the core values of pan-Africanism by catering to imperialist interests. Notably, as France faces increasing pushback in Africa, especially in the Sahel region, Ruto turned to French President Emmanuel Macron for assistance in addressing the crisis in DRC.

This led to outrage in Kinshasa, whose residents protested violently at the Kenyan embassy, viewing Kenya as complicit in selling out their nation to foreign powers. The incident was part of a spate of attacks on foreign embassies of countries seen as implicated in DRC's turmoil during the M23 rebels' takeover of Goma.

Kenya also faced criticism for hosting the Congo River Alliance, a political-military group of Congolese rebels, with the Rwanda-backed M23 being the most preeminent faction. Gachagua argues that Ruto's diplomatic blunders and exploitation of the conflict in the DRC are key factors contributing to the region's instability.

Video credit: KTN News Kenya

Sources

https://trtafrika.com/africa/kenya-denies-backing-drcs-new-rebel-alliance-16275045

https://www.csis.org/analysis/kenya-and-democratic-republic-congo

https://shahidinews.co.ke/2023/12/17/kenya-distances-itself-from-the-launch-of-new-congolese-military-alliance-in-nairobi/

https://www.theafricareport.com/381267/kenya-ex-allies-lambast-ruto-accuse-him-of-war-profiteering/

https://kenyanforeignpolicy.com/ruto-preaching-pan-africanism-dialling-the-west/

https://www.aa.com.tr/en/africa/congo-summons-its-kenyan-ambassador-over-rebel-alliance/3084722