Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi has dismissed remarks by Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka linking President William Ruto to the ongoing crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
In a statement on Thursday, February 6, Mudavadi termed Kalonzo’s claims as reckless and misleading, emphasizing that Kenya has no direct involvement in the conflict beyond supporting peace efforts.
“The crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has nothing to do with Kenya or its leadership. We do not share borders nor do we have any interest in DRC other than peace, stability, and prosperity for its people.
“It is, therefore, regrettable that Wiper Leader Kalonzo Musyoka, in a clip circulating on social media, insinuates that President William Ruto is part of the problem in the DRC crisis,” read part of the statement.
Mudavadi further noted that the DRC conflict is a historical issue that has been discussed by regional leaders for decades.
“The issues affecting DRC are long-standing and have been addressed by previous leaders in the region since the 1960s,” he stated.
He also criticized Kalonzo’s comments, saying they were irresponsible, especially given his past role as Kenya’s Minister of Foreign Affairs.
“Kalonzo’s attempt to link President Ruto to the DRC crisis is not only an overstretch in his political attacks but also reckless, particularly for a leader who served for a long time as Foreign Affairs Minister and should understand the dynamics better,” the statement concluded.
Kalonzo, speaking in Makueni County on Sunday, February 2, had dismissed Ruto’s mediation efforts in the DRC, accusing him of sidelining former President Uhuru Kenyatta, who was the East African Community’s (EAC) peace envoy.
“When Ruto took over, his mistake was removing Uhuru as the chief mediator and refusing to facilitate him. Then the whole process fell apart. How can he claim to solve DRC’s problems when he can’t handle issues at home?” Kalonzo remarked.
Earlier in January, Kalonzo had also criticized Ruto’s foreign policy, arguing that it had strained Kenya’s relations with neighboring countries, including the DRC and Sudan.
“For a country that has played a leadership role in the region, it is disheartening that our position is now being threatened by diplomatic missteps from the current regime, putting Kenya at odds with her closest neighbors,” he said.
“We are witnessing relentless diplomatic disputes—from DRC to Sudan, Rwanda, Uganda, and Tanzania. We cannot sit back and watch relationships that took years to build fall apart, especially within the East African Community,” he added.
