Kinshasa Opposes Ruto’s Appointment of Consul General to Goma
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has rejected President William Ruto’s appointment of a new Consul General to Goma, saying such decisions require prior approval from Congolese authorities.
This follows Ruto’s nomination of Judy Kiaria Nkumiri as Kenya’s Consul General to Goma and Moni Manyange as Deputy Head of Mission to the DRC in Kinshasa.
In a statement on Saturday, the Congolese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said under international law and diplomatic protocols, Kenya must seek approval before assigning a foreign consular head within Congolese territory.
“The DRC recalls that the appointment of any head of a foreign consular post on its territory is subject to its prior approval and the issuance of the exequatur by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Kinshasa,” the ministry said.
Kinshasa described the announcement as untimely, citing the continued “occupation” of Goma by M23 rebels.
The Congolese government pointed out that the region is facing severe human rights abuses against civilians, as per recent UN reports, and any such appointment in Goma would be invalid without its consent.
“In this context, any announcement concerning the appointment of a consul in Goma is particularly inappropriate and cannot be considered valid without the consent of the Congolese authorities,” the statement read.
DRC urged caution to avoid perceptions of legitimizing rebel occupation and underlined its commitment to strong ties with Kenya.
The ministry also warned that moving forward with the appointments would strain diplomatic relations, as both countries are key to regional peace and security initiatives.
Reacting to Kinshasa’s statement, Kenya’s Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’Oei said the concerns were premature, adding that approval would be sought only after parliamentary vetting of the nominee.
“As per diplomatic practice, once the presidential nominee receives parliamentary approval, Kenya shall seek an agrément or consent of the Democratic Republic of Congo before the Consul General reports to post. This reaction is unfortunately premature,” Sing’Oei said.
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Kinshasa Opposes Ruto’s Appointment of Consul General to Goma