1. The “Budget of Independence”
For the 2025/2026 fiscal year, Rwanda has made its move. The government recently announced a 20.9% increase in the national budget, reaching a record 7.03 trillion RWF.
Domestic Funding: In a direct answer to sanctions threats, 58.4% of this budget is now financed through internal domestic revenue.
The Message: By reducing reliance on foreign grants (now down to just 8.3% of the total budget), Kigali is effectively telling Washington that the “aid lever” no longer has the same pull it did a decade ago.
2. The “Mineral Plunder” Rebuttal
A core reason for the looming U.S. sanctions is the allegation that Rwanda has exported over $800 million in illicit gold from Congolese mines. At Umushyikirano, Kagame didn’t just deny this; he used a “logic trap” to dismiss it:
“If Rwanda were in the DRC because of its precious minerals, it would be a hundred times richer than it is today.”
Kagame argues that the real cost of military mobilization on the border far outweighs any potential “plunder,” framing the RDF’s presence as an expensive, unwanted necessity forced by the presence of the FDLR (genocidal forces) in the Congo.
3. The “Spoiled Child” and the Rubio Factor
Kagame’s “go to hell” comment was specifically aimed at what he calls the “double standards” of the new U.S. administration.
The Tshisekedi Critique: Kagame claims the U.S. treats Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi like a “spoiled child,” ignoring his alliance with the FDLR while hyper-focusing on M23.
The Rubio Stance: With U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio signaling that “action will be taken” for violations of the Washington Accords, the relationship has hit its lowest point in thirty years.
