Eastern DRC: “The NBA should stop rewarding the Rwandan dictatorship and end its partnership with the Kagame regime” (US Senators Jeff Merkley and Marsha Blackburn)

Author: Michel TOBOPublished on: November 4, 2026Country: Rwanda

World / InternationalSports

Eastern DRC: “The NBA should stop rewarding the Rwandan dictatorship and end its partnership with the Kagame regime” (US Senators Jeff Merkley and Marsha Blackburn)

US Senators Jeff Merkley and Marsha Blackburn are calling on the NBA to end its partnership with Rwanda, which is accused of supporting destabilization in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. In a statement to ESPN, Merkley criticized the league, saying the United States is tightening sanctions on Rwanda while the NBA deepens its ties with Paul Kagame’s government. The NBA excluded the Rwandan Patriotic Army team, saying it was following US government policy on human rights. Rwanda has hosted the Basketball Africa League finals in Kigali since 2020, at the Kigali Arena, which opened in 2019.

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