DRCongo Alleges Security Breach Targeting First Lady in Washington, Points Finger at Rwanda

The government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has claimed that unidentified individuals attempted to infiltrate a hotel where First Lady Denise Nyakeru Tshisekedi was staying during an official visit to Washington, D.C., raising fresh tensions between Kinshasa and Rwanda.

Speaking to journalists, government spokesperson Patrick Muyaya said authorities had received intelligence about the alleged attempt involving individuals whose identities remain unknown. He added that the Congolese government is working closely with U.S. officials to establish the full details of the incident.

Muyaya did not confirm whether the individuals managed to access the First Lady’s room but suggested that Rwanda could have been involved, despite providing no evidence to substantiate the claim. He argued that Kinshasa had recently “dismantled Rwanda’s narrative” in ongoing regional peace efforts in eastern Congo.

The accusations were swiftly rejected by Rwandan officials. Responding on social media platform X, Arthur Asiimwe dismissed the allegations as baseless and “laughable.” He questioned the credibility of claims circulating online, including a video shared by a pro-DRC activist purportedly showing Rwandan operatives attempting to target the First Lady.

“Who carries out an assassination from an embassy vehicle?” Asiimwe wrote, adding that the claims appeared designed to attract attention with “sensational but meaningless headlines.”

He further noted that hotels are public spaces, accessible to a wide range of people, unless specifically restricted.

Mrs. Tshisekedi is currently in the United States to attend a high-level conference on child development, hosted by Melania Trump. The event has drawn several First Ladies, including Angeline Ndayubaha.