The Second Congo War began on August 2, 1998. Ruberwa, along with several other Congolese politicians left the government to create the Rally for Congolese Democracy (RCD), a Rwandan-backed movement based in Goma which went on to amass between 30,000 and 40,000 troops and control about 50 percent of the country. Ruberwa first served as Chief of Cabinet for the RCD's Department of Exterior Relations. He later became a member of the Executive Committee and the Deputy Head (Chief of Adjunct) of the Department of Exterior Relations.