ANB-BIA SUPPLEMENT

ISSUE/EDITION Nr 328 - 15/07/1997

CONTENTS | ANB-BIA HOMEPAGE

Congo (RDC)

Kabila's serious mistakes

by Kikuni L. Mashamba, Congo (RDC), 10 June 1997

THEME = POLITICS

INTRODUCTION

Mobutu out, Kabila in!
Kinshasa's enthusiastic rejoicing over the city's liberation after years of dictatorship,
lasted but a day...



On 16 May 1997, ex-dictator Mobutu fled the country and went into exile, thus ending 32 long years of dictatorship. He left behind a nation in complete poverty. The "liberators" (as the population of Kinshasa called them) were mainly young men, less than 20 years old. They made their entry into the capital, acclaimed by a joyous population. 24 hours later, the Alliance's leader, Laurent Kabila, still in Lubumbashi, proclaimed himself, "President of the Democratic Republic of Congo". On 20 May, he made a discrete entry into the capital to form his transitional government.
The people's joy and enthusiasm didn't last long. Initial declarations made by Kabila and his associates were a major let-down for the people, who expected better things from those they called their "liberators".
Seven years of "transitional" rule by the previous administration, had left the people with nothing but bad memories. But now, what was promised? Kabila and his Alliance said they would form yet another transitional government from which the Opposition would be excluded. It was clear that Mr Kabila was still thinking and acting like a dictator. He took to himself full powers and even refused to meet with the opposition leader, Etienne Tshisekedi. So the latter declined to recognize the new government, stating forcibly: "We don't accept another dictator no matter where he comes from". He called on the whole population to resist any attempt to impose a new dictatorship.

Serious errors


Mr Kabila made a number of serious political mistakes:

- 1. The self-proclaimed President had rushed into signing contracts with companies from South Africa, the United States and Canada, even before achieving his final victory and before becoming Head of State. This amounts to "selling-out the country", the same as Mobutu did. So, nothing has really changed.

- 2. On 18 May, in Lubumbashi, Kabila proclaimed himself Head of State. This is completely against all juridical norms. At the same time, Kabila forbade any other political party and all demonstrations. Even when he formed his new government, he did not consult with the opposition leader. Kabila has 13 ministers in his government, 9 of whom belong to the Alliance and are appointed according to party statutes. Thus, the government is nothing more than a party running the State with no Opposition permitted (just like Mobutu's MPR).

- 3. Worse still, Kabila is under the thumb of his foreign associates of Rwandan and Ugandan Tutsi origin. These receive instructions directly from Kigali and Kampala, and hold the most important posts in the government, giving the impression that the country is ruled by foreigners.

- 4. In Mr Kabila's inauguration speech on 29 May, (considered by the people to be "empty words"), he did not mention anything about national unity, a topic dear to all in Kinshasa. He didn't even mention anything about the opposition parties who prepared the way for him.

- 5. Mr.Kabila and his Alliance are also accused of assassinating people in every corner of the country. This has been a major blow for the capital's population who are not used to such brutality. It's estimated that about a thousand people have been publicly shot in cold blood ever since the Alliance took over in Kinshasa.
Kabila and his Alliance are attempting to establish another dictatorship. Mr Tshisekedi says this must be resisted at all costs and Kinshasa's population are reacting favourably to the call. Demonstrations and protest marches have been organised in Kinshasa and other parts of the country. Yet, supported by Kigali and Kampala, the new leaders have ignored what is going on - just as Mobutu did previously. Mr.Tshisekedi has been placed under house arrest. People are afraid that another terrible civil war is in the offing.

Deceptions and accusations


People had high hopes in Kabila and his Alliance; now they feel completely let down, and this is an on-going subject of conversation. According to activists in certain political parties, Kabila has sold-out Congo to the Tutsis of Rwanda and Uganda, who want to re-colonise Congo with the complicity of the United States and South Africa, as well as with some disaffected Congolese. There is a document going the rounds in Kinshasa concerning this re-colonisation plan. It's main details are:

- 1. All senior posts must be given to Tutsis or their allies. For example:
- As Foreign Minister: Mr.Bizimana Karahan, brother-in-law of Kagame
- As Alliance army Commander: a former Minister of the Interior in Rwanda;
- As Minister of Education: a Rwandan Tutsi;
- As next governor of the Central Bank: Mr.Kahengeshe, a Rwandan Tutsi;
- As the Alliance's General-Secretary: a Ugandan Tutsi, nephew of President Museveni.
And so the list goes on, but the above shows clearly the way things are going.

- 2. Vehicles, important industrial equipment and arms are dispatched to Kigali.

- 3. Diamonds and gold are sold from syndicates operating in Kigali. Thus, diamond dealers from Congo are obliged to go to Kigali to sell their products.

- 4. Only Tutsi businessmen get the opportunity to undertake important deals.
Citizens of Kinshasa now realise that what was supposed to be a "liberation", is in fact, turning the country over to Rwandans and Ugandans. Getting rid of Mobutu was just a pretence to realise the Tutsi dream of a Tutsi State in Central Africa.

African solidarity or settling scores?


On the day of Mr.Kabila's inauguration as President, the following Heads of States from neighbouring countries were present: Museveni of Uganda, Buyoya of Burundi, Bizimungu of Rwanda, Chiluba of Zambia, and Dos Santos of Angola. These are all countries having a common frontier with Congo. Their people are related to us either by blood-ties or by history. These leaders worked together to end Mobutu's dictatorship. Which just goes to show that Africans can work together to achieve a common objective, for the good of the people.
It's clear from many of the speeches given at the inauguration ceremony, that there was an international conspiracy against Zaire (as it was at that time). Heads of State from neighbouring countries were out to settle old scores with Mobutu, who had destabilised their countries. So they supported Kabila with weapons, soldiers and other means.
Now the Marshal-President has gone and the war has ended. Dare we hope for a new era of peaceful co-existence between people of these regions? We don't think so! If the re-colonisation and the occupation of Congo by the Tutsis is consolidated, then the hatred between Tutsis and Hutus (never-ending in Rwanda) will spill-over throughout Central Africa. In order to avoid such a situation, Etienne Tshisekedi thanked all those countries which had helped Congo free itself from the dictator. He asked that their citizens should now return home and their leaders work out how much the war has cost them (reckoned to be anything up to 800 million dollars!) It's an enormous sum, but one that has to be paid, otherwise Congo will always remain an "occupied territory".

Conditions for a decent way of life


Most urgent of all: the people's dignity must be restored. How? By guaranteeing them a decent way of life. The population needs food, housing, employment and means of communication. Some worthwhile efforts have already been made, such as the lowering of prices on basic items and a certain revaluation of the currency.
Praiseworthy efforts indeed, but some people have tried to convince the population to ignore the fact that the new government is also embarked on what amounts to re-establishing a dictatorship. But Kinshasa's population, supported by Humanitarian Organisations and other political parties, is on the qui vive, and has become hardened and critical towards the new leaders who are lying, deceiving and attempting to impose themselves on the people by force.
Look what's happened to Mr.Tshisekedi. He's been excluded from the new government. And the people of Kinshasa have also noticed many other inconsistencies among the country's new leaders, who are not keeping their promises. For example, the bonus promised to civil servants to help them get to and from work, is not going to be paid. And the monetary reform scheduled for the end of June has been postponed to a later date.
The monetary reform will involve Congo going back to its former currency, the Congolese Franc. One Congolese franc will equal 50,000 New Zaires (NZ), and one dollar US will equal 2.5 Congolese Francs. The new currency will be guaranteed by the US dollar and by the South African rand. The reform will also be a chance for those with low incomes, to increase their buying power. In doing away with the Zaire, the new currency will help to efface the memory of Mobutu's reign. If the monetary reform is to succeed it must be accompanied by an increase in production and serious price controls.

Conclusion


The Alliance has won the war in Congo because the population and the Opposition helped. That's why the Alliance must establish a government of national unity, with representatives from all political parties - and no exceptions permitted! The population are asking that the leader of the radical opposition be a member of the transitional government. Only thus can national reconciliation be achieved.
The Congolese are not prepared to accept a government that restricts their right to freedom of speech, freedom of association and Press freedom. And this is precisely what Congo's new president is trying to do.
Here and now, people want: Personal safety; Security of their possessions; Strengthening the democratic process; Work; Nation re-building; An equal share in profits; Elections.

END

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PeaceLink 1997 - Reproduction authorised, with usual acknowledgement