Barely a day after President William Ruto reshuffled Kenya’s diplomatic corps and named Judy Kiaria Nkumiri as Consul General to Goma, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has flatly rejected the move, citing international law.
In a strongly worded statement on Saturday, Kinshasa reminded Nairobi that “the appointment of any head of a foreign consular post on its territory is subject to prior approval and the issue of an exequatur by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,” as stipulated under the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations.
The response went beyond diplomatic formalities. Goma, the capital of North Kivu province, is currently under the control of the M23 rebel group—designated by Kinshasa as a terrorist movement. Against this backdrop, the Congolese government warned that Nairobi’s announcement risked conferring legitimacy on “an ongoing illegal occupation.”
“Any announcement regarding the appointment of a consul in Goma is particularly inappropriate and should not be considered without the approval of the Congolese authorities,” the statement read, urging “caution and discernment in public communication to avoid any misunderstanding, speculation or appearance of legitimisation.”
The latest flare-up underscores the fragility of regional diplomacy. Kenya, once praised for mediating in the eastern Congo conflict, now finds itself caught in a diplomatic tangle.
For President Félix Tshisekedi’s government, the appointment of a consul general in Goma amounts to legitimising M23’s control. Tensions between the two capitals have been simmering, with Kinshasa also refusing to accredit President Ruto’s top envoy in the DRC amid growing friction between the two leaders.
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