The Congolese government on Saturday rejected Kenya’s decision to appoint a consul general to Goma, calling the move “inappropriate” and a violation of its sovereignty.
Goma, the capital of North Kivu province in eastern DR Congo, has been at the centre of fierce fighting between government forces and the Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group. In January, the city fell to M23 after a rapid offensive, forcing the Congolese army to withdraw.
Kinshasa said Kenya’s unilateral announcement disrespected Congo’s territorial integrity and risked giving legitimacy to the rebel occupation. Authorities also stressed that Nairobi failed to consult them beforehand, as required under international diplomatic norms.
The M23, which has seized swathes of territory in eastern Congo this year, claims to be liberating the region from Kinshasa’s misrule under the umbrella of the Congo River Alliance. The group has been accused of atrocities, with the conflict displacing hundreds of thousands and leaving thousands dead.
Although mediation by Qatar recently produced a “declaration of principles” between Kinshasa and M23, talks quickly collapsed, and fighting has resumed. The crisis has drawn in multiple regional actors, including Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda, and Kenya, complicating peace efforts.
Christian Moleka, a Congolese political analyst, told the Associated Press that Kenya’s move could heighten tensions in the region. He noted it may reinforce Kinshasa’s distrust of Nairobi, which has deepened ties with Rwanda under President William Ruto, and could weaken fragile regional peace initiatives.
