‘Go to Hell’: Rwandan President Kagame Condemns Countries Imposing Sanctions Over DRC Conflict

Countries imposing sanctions on Rwanda should focus on their own problems, Paul Kagame said without naming any specific countries.

Kagame delivered one of his most fiery and unfiltered addresses in recent memory during the commemoration of Kwibuka31, marking 31 years since the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.

With raw emotion and powerful language, Kagame issued a clear message to Rwandans, Africa, and the international community: Rwanda will not live on its knees.

“We have to live our lives, we have to live the way we want,” Kagame declared before a packed audience in Kigali. “And I tell anybody to his face, to go to hell. If anyone comes around and says we are going to sanction you—go to hell.”

His statement, laced with unapologetic defiance, comes at a time of growing tensions between Rwanda and some Western nations over regional politics and sovereignty. Kagame made it clear that Rwandans—and Africans at large—must not be passive recipients of injustice or threats.

“You have your own issues to deal with. Go and deal with your own issues. Leave me to mine. This is the spirit Rwandans must have in their daily lives,” he said, urging a spirit of resistance, self-worth, and national pride.

A Future Guarded by Resolve

Reflecting on the genocide, Kagame reaffirmed that such a tragedy would not be repeated—not because the enemies of Rwanda have ceased to exist, but because Rwandans are prepared to defend their nation with unwavering resolve.

“It won’t [happen again], not because those who were responsible… will not try again. It will not happen again just because there will be people who will stand up and fight,” he emphasized. “There is a risk of dying when you stand up and fight, but if you don’t, it’s a sure thing—you are going to die. So why not fight?”

In a deeply personal moment, the President recounted warnings he had received about his outspoken stance. Some, he said, have cautioned him that being so direct risks his life.

“My answer to them is: you know what? If I were to be there to just accept these things to happen, I don’t think I would count myself as living anyway. It’s like I would already be dead,” Kagame said. “So why don’t I die fighting?”

A Message to Africa: No More Begging

Kagame’s speech extended beyond Rwanda’s borders. He issued a passionate appeal to all Africans who face systemic dehumanization, urging them to stop begging for survival.

“I can’t beg to live. I can’t beg anybody. We’ll fight. If I lose, I lose. But there is a chance— a significant chance—that if you stand up and fight, you will live. And you will have lived a dignified life that you deserve.”

The remarks have already begun stirring debate across Africa and beyond. For Kagame, the message was not just about Rwanda’s past, but about the kind of future Africans must choose to build—one rooted in dignity, resistance, and the courage to live on their own terms.

As Kwibuka31 marked another solemn remembrance, Kagame’s words transformed it into a rallying cry—for Rwanda and for the continent.

On March 17, the EU imposed sanctions on a number of individuals in connection with the ongoing conflict in eastern DRC, including three senior officers of the Rwandan Armed Forces and the director of the Rwanda Mines, Petroleum and Gas Board, Francis Kamanzi. 

In response, the M23 rebels, whose leaders are also on the EU sanctions list, refused to participate in negotiations with the DRC authorities.

Although Rwanda denies military support for the M23 group, the DRC accuses Rwanda of violating its sovereignty and territorial integrity by sending troops to support armed groups. In turn, Rwanda alleges that the DRC supports the FDLR, a group associated with the 1994 Rwandan genocide.