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The minister responsible for law enforcement, Chris Philp, was made fun of because he seemed to mix up the countries of Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo while on Question Time.
In response to a question from someone in the audience during the BBC One program, the Conservative Member of Parliament for Croydon South appeared to ask if ‘Rwanda is a different country than Congo’.
This caused some laughter and disbelief from the audience of the debate program.
The camera then showed a confused-looking shadow health secretary Wes Streeting, who looked around the room.
An audience member, who mentioned being from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, had asked: ‘If my family came from Goma (a city on the country’s border) and tried to cross the border right now, would they be sent back to the country they are allegedly at war with – Rwanda?
‘Does that even make sense to you?’
Mr Philp responded: ‘No, I believe there’s a provision that prevents people from Rwanda being sent to Rwanda.’
When the audience member pointed out that his parents were ‘not from Rwanda’, the Conservative MP seemed to ask: ‘Well, I mean, Rwanda is a different country than Congo, right?
‘It’s a different country?’
Mr Philp went on: ‘The legislation includes a clause that prevents someone from being sent somewhere if they would endure, I think the term is ‘serious and irreversible harm’.
‘So that safeguard is included in the legislation.’
There has been a lengthy history of violent conflict between the neighboring African nations.
The Rwanda Bill officially became law on Thursday after receiving royal approval, allowing deportation flights to begin.
