Rwandan President Paul Kagame has stirred fresh tensions with Kinshasa after once again casting doubt on the legitimacy of Felix Tshisekedi's presidency, claiming it was the outcome of a political arrangement rather than a free and fair vote.

Speaking in Kigali on Friday, Kagame said Tshisekedi was "called to the office and given power," suggesting that the 2018 Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) election lacked credibility.

He dismissed the vote as a mere formality, stating, "Last time they had elections, but no election really happened. It was just a continuation of the thing that was handed to the man, and he just keeps running with it. But that's another story."

Kagame went on to suggest that former DRC President Joseph Kabila was behind the deal that saw Tshisekedi take office.

"Kabila thought he was making a good deal," he said, pointing to what he described as a power-sharing arrangement made without the involvement of the people.

According to Kagame, this was not a secret among Africa’s top leaders.

He named former Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa as leaders who were aware of the deal. "You ask to go and visit them and ask them this question," he said, adding that "the truth of the matter" was well-known in diplomatic circles.

Tshisekedi was declared the winner of the 2018 election, which was hailed by some as the DRC’s first peaceful transition of power since gaining independence.

However, the outcome was overshadowed by accusations of vote manipulation. The African Union and other observers raised concerns about irregularities, while opposition candidate Martin Fayulu called it “an electoral coup.”

In December 2023, Tshisekedi was re-elected with over 70 percent of the vote, but that poll was also clouded by reports of logistical failures, restricted access to polling stations, and the exclusion of key challengers including Nobel laureate Dr Denis Mukwege.

Kagame's latest comments add to growing hostility between Rwanda and the DRC, deepening an already tense relationship marked by diplomatic rows and mutual distrust.