Speaking on February 27, 2026, Nduhungirehe responded to remarks made by the DRC Government Spokesperson, Patrick Muyaya, who told members of the Congolese diaspora in Canada that Kinyarwanda is not spoken in the DRC and that the language used in the country is instead called “Igihutu.”
Muyaya stated that although similar languages are spoken across neighboring countries, in the DRC it is referred to as Igihutu, while in Rwanda it is known as Kinyarwanda and in Burundi as Kirundi.
His comments suggested that the language spoken by Congolese Hutus carries a distinct national identity.
In reaction, Nduhungirehe said no language historically known as “Igihutu” has ever existed in the Great Lakes region.
He explained that presenting Kinyarwanda as a language spoken only in Rwanda is misleading and aimed at redefining national belonging in a way that excludes Congolese Tutsis.
“The objective is clear. To suggest that only Congolese Hutus are indigenous, that they have a ‘Congolese language’ called Igihutu, while those who say they speak Kinyarwanda are foreigners (Rwandans), because their language supposedly exists only across the border,” Minister Nduhungirehe said.
According to Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe, such narratives are designed to portray Congolese Tutsis as outsiders and question their citizenship.
He added that attempts to marginalize Congolese Tutsis are not new. As an example, he cited remarks reportedly made in December 2025 on national broadcaster RTNC by Gen. Maj. Sylvain Ekenge Bomusa, who discouraged intermarriage with Tutsi women, comments the Rwandan minister described as discriminatory.
Earlier in February, Muyaya met with a group of Congolese Tutsis, including members of the Banyamulenge community, during a visit to the United States.
Some participants stated that their relatives in Minembwe Commune were not facing security threats, despite reports of attacks by armed groups operating alongside Congolese government forces.
Minister Nduhungirehe said he was curious to know whether Congolese Tutsis who met Muyaya in Canada would accept the claim that they speak Igihutu rather than Kinyarwanda, suggesting that this narrative forms part of a broader effort to redefine their identity.