RDC: Alternance pour la Republique Portant Radiation d’Un Parti Membre (07.03.2017)

Conclusions du Conseil sur la Republique democratique du Congo (06.03.2017)

RDC: Memorandum des Mouvements Citoyens LUCHA et il Est Temps a la Commission Electorale Nationale Independante (CENI) – (06.03.2017)

Opinion: Democratic Party and Uganda People’s Congress turns more and more into NRM-Lite!

Akena M7

“Power is a curious thing. Who lives, Who dies. Power resides where men believe it resides. It is a trick, A shadow on the wall.”  ― Lord Varys (Game of Thrones).

Adjective: Denoting a low-fat or low-sugar version of a manufactured food or drink product” (…) “Origin: 1950s: a commercial respelling of light, light” (Oxford Dictionary – Lite).

This here isn’t something based on evidence, but more a genuine feeling I have is not only one I share, but many others. There is something at stake and someone who has agreed the negotiations so these so-called opposition parties isn’t really so. That is why the Uganda People Congress has some MPs in the Cabinet and the same with Democratic Party. The same can be said that both of these parties, still have slots or parts of the delegations to the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) in Arusha.

What we do know is that James Akena, the newly concurred leader of UPC could easily do some trade-off with NRM in 2015. That isn’t just mere speculation as his party did decent and there haven’t been any controversy or lashing out from NRM MPs towards the UPC in ages. Secondly, the DP has become the good DPs and the ones that even are parts of NRM Celebrations. There is something up with these two parties, just like Uganda Federal Alliance and Beti Kamya all of a sudden is a bigger support of the NRM government than the former NRM historical’s and the NRM hardliners.

The President and his NRM CEC must see their State House visits as a blessed and ease ways of figuring out how to undress the opposition and how to deal with them. All needs a meal-ticket, the question is who will give in to the regime and at what cost. Therefore, the arrangement and the deals behind the close doors show the conning way of the illegitimate regime who uses all sorts of methods to undermine the opposition. The FDC has clearly given in too, in my book, with even becoming the shadow-government in Parliament. Something the FDC NEC shouldn’t have considered and agreed upon, because when NRM together with the President agreed to get a UPC minister and DP minister, it would be hard to have shadow-government with members from these parties. That would be rare and weird to explain.

DP Mao

We can even wonder if Norbert Mao even cared of losing his slot as Member of Parliament in the 10th Parliament, as the DP was behind Amama Mbabazi Presidential Candidate through the The Democratic Alliance (TDA). Why I say that now? Since he is snickering and defending the NRM on NBSFrontline, attacking Lord Mayor Lukwago and the FDC when he can, just as we would expect Akena, since he has been bought sometime during the 2015. The price and the value of the UPC is for him and his closest allies to know.

DP’s Mao on the other hand is worrying, that Fred Mukasa Mbidde went so easily and elected into the EALA, also how little care the DP has given to the DP Cabinet Member Florence Nakiwala. Who could have thought the party would trade these folks that easily? That without any worry and without care has let it go, that they have set the standard of being a mediocre party who has no courage and no fighting spirit.

Maybe, Mao has gotten tired of fighting as the campaign he himself has a Presidential Candidate was sour, it wasn’t a joyful journey as the promises and the ride against the police force wasn’t ideal. Therefore, the battle even for his own MPs place got lost and as a leader who isn’t in Parliament, while the ones in Parliament are getting cosy with the NRM. That might be why Mao is complied with the forged friendships and trading in Parliament, to make sure they can gain the most. Still, the value and integrity of DP is dwindling, with every forged agreement with NRM makes them more and more alike, less different.

The NRM regime and NRM caucus in Parliament is adding DP and UPC, they are just turning into branches of the regime instead of being rooted on their own and on their own framework. It is just like Mao and Akena, just shift-bosses instead of being their own factory leaders. They work less for their own product and delivery, more and more to please the Executive through agreements and negotiations.

That is why the NRM has swallowed their paths and the lacking spine of DP and UPC has given way for this. Therefore, the current affairs and state makes them like a light version of the NRM. For this reason DP = NRM Lite and UPC = NRM Lite. Both parties are old and have a long history; they were established long before NRM, still the abolishment from Obote, made the other obsolete. So Museveni’s trick of being in the shadows of these parties before and after the parties, this is essentially killing of the multi-party system. That the NRM are tarnishing the DP and UPC to becoming NRM knocks-offs.

NRM UPC Arua 16.11.15

All of this is mere speculation, but still, there aren’t any official agreements in public between UPC and DP towards to the NRM, but their friendliness and co-operations are evident of certain negotiated deals. You will not hear Akena or the UPC complain about the NRM, just like Mao suddenly defends on national TV their position towards NRM and attacks Lukwago. There is just some uncertainty of how and what they have done behind closed doors. Beyond a shadow of a doubt some worrying signs that can and should be questioned, especially not accept as the acceptance of these parties to the NRM gives way to establish deep concerns of the value of opposition at all in Uganda. Since the DP and UPC have been thresholds for such, now it is FDC, even with a FDC NEC who doesn’t concern their legitimising the Parliament.

We all should ask and question the recent efforts from DP and UPC as legitimate opposition, even as parties without connections or how possibly they have accepted agreements with Movement. This surpass the judgement and the recognition of their existence, it is more the mere fact of lacking attention to transparency and accountability, as they are giving way to a regime who certainly does not care about procedures or acts or rule of law. The parties are therefore giving the Movement acceptance and are silently supporting their rule with these sorts of acts. Certainly, something the founders of these parties would turn in their graves and wanted to resurrect to adjust the malfunctions of these parties. Peace.

RDC: Moise Katumbi Declaration Publique (04.03.2017)

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RDC: Declaration Politiue Constant l’Auto Exclusion de Monsieur Bruno Tshibala, Secretaire General Adjoint de l’UDPS (04.03.2017)

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RDC: “L’AR prend acte de la nouvelle structuration du Rassemblement de l’Opposition et félicite les heureux promus” (03.03.2017)

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RDC: Declaration du Rassamblement (03.03.2017)

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Democratic Republic of the Congo defence and security forces committed serious human rights violations in December 2016 (01.03.2017)

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According to the report by the UN Joint Human Rights Office of MONUSCO (UNJHRO), at least 40 people, including five women and two children, were killed between 15 and 31 December 2016 across several cities of the DRC, among them Kinshasa, Lubumbashi, Boma and Matadi.

GENEVA, Switzerland, March 1, 2017 -Defence and security forces in the Democratic Republic of the Congo used excessive, disproportionate and at times lethal force to prevent and contain demonstrations in December 2016, a UN report published today has found.

According to the report by the UN Joint Human Rights Office of MONUSCO (UNJHRO), at least 40 people, including five women and two children, were killed between 15 and 31 December 2016 across several cities of the DRC, among them Kinshasa, Lubumbashi, Boma and Matadi.

The findings of the UNJHRO investigation show that 28 individuals were killed by soldiers of the Forces armées de la République démocratique du Congo (FARDC), six by agents of the Police Nationale Congolaise (PNC) and the remaining six during joint PNC and FARDC operations. All but two of the victims were killed by live ammunition.

During the same period, at least 147 individuals were injured by State agents, including 14 women and 18 children, and at least 917 individuals, including 30 women and 95 children, were arrested by defence and security forces. The report also notes that some protesters carried out acts of violence, including the killing of at least one PNC agent in Kinshasa on 20 December 2016.

The report indicates that most of the victims were unarmed civilians wounded by live ammunition on upper parts of the body, suggesting an excessive and disproportionate use of force by security forces in operations to contain the demonstrations.

“Such serious incidents are worrisome, particularly in the current context. The Government bears the primary responsibility to implement the confidence-building measures provided for under the 31 December 2016 Global and Inclusive Political Agreement to defuse tensions and create an environment conducive to the holding of peaceful elections. MONUSCO will continue to support efforts by the Government to achieve these objectives, including through investigation and strong sanction for all those responsible for serious human rights violations,” said Maman Sambo Sidikou, the United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary-General in the DRC.

“MONUSCO remains committed to accompanying the DRC towards peaceful, credible and inclusive elections,” Sidikou stressed.

The report also condemns the fact that while the PNC is normally in charge of crowd control operations, during the period under review, FARDC soldiers, including those of the Republican Guard and of the Military Police, were deployed to control crowds, functions for which they are not adequately equipped nor trained. The lack of accountability for past human rights violations, including those committed during the demonstrations in Kinshasa on 19 and 20 September 2016, may have encouraged a sense of impunity, and defence and security forces to commit further violations in December 2016.

“Once again we see serious human rights violations being committed blatantly and with complete impunity by the security forces, who employed excessive use of force against unarmed demonstrators, in flagrant violation of international human rights law and standards,” UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein said.

“I urge the Government to ensure that those responsible for such violations committed in the context of events that marked the end of President Joseph Kabila’s second constitutional mandate are held accountable and brought to justice.  Measures should also be taken, at all levels, to ensure that the legitimate exercise of fundamental freedoms by the population will not lead to loss of lives and other serious rights violations,” Zeid said.

“I therefore call on the DRC Government to urgently adopt the law on freedom of peaceful protests and the law on human rights defenders. This is hugely important for the coming months as the DRC should move towards implementing the 31 December political agreement and preparing for the next presidential election,” Zeid stressed.

In Nord-Kivu province where M23 continue to kill and is also captured!

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Earlier this year there we’re reports that, all of sudden M23 soldiers had left the barracks in Uganda and crossed the borders again into Democratic Republic of Congo. With that the Congolese authorities and Ugandan Authorities showing lacking concern of the ex-militants, that apparently is still rebels and militants attacking civilians and army in North Kivu. This with the knowledge of the former Gen. Sultani Makenga who left his house as well, as most of the soldiers fled the barracks too. This is a return of violence and killings in DRC, in time for a needed crisis for President Joseph Kabila.

Here are recent reports on their struggle and hazardous behaviour in Congo. M23 continues where they left-off when they had come to Uganda as relieved rebels and promised to leave their past behind. Still, the UPDF kept them in barracks and in a military facility. So you could wonder how these former rebels should get another career when the armed militants got possibility of army training as they we’re pardoned by the Ugandan Government or a sort of amnesty if they left the militia. Still, they apparently had the ability to flee for the Congolese soil and create havoc again in Nord-Kivu.

North Kivu / Goma: 12 M23 Rebels were killed, 68 captured and 39 rendered in a violent confrontation between the congolese army and the rebels m23 from Wednesday to Thursday, 23 February 2017 in the group Of busanza in rutshuru territory in the province of north kivu in the east of the #DRC”  (100 Citoyens journalistes de RD Congo, 24.02.2017)

Official Reports:

“The Democratic Republic of Congo’s army has killed at least 16 former members of a rebel group after they re-entered the country’s east, the military’s spokesperson said Thursday. Fighting near Rutshuru began on Wednesday and by Thursday the army had captured 68 former M23 rebels and 39 others surrendered, said Major Ndjike Kaiko. “We are tracking the fleeing M23 fighters who are seeking to infiltrate Kinyandoni and into the Virunga National Park,” he said” (The Great Lakes Post, 24.02.2016).

m23-helicoper-february-2017

M23 wants ransom from DRC Government:  

“M23: $ 1 million to liberate the colonel of Georgia on 27 January, two combat helicopters of the congolese army were crashing at a hundred miles of Goma (North Kivu) doing three wounded and 4 missing. Three members of the first aircraft manufacturing (Russian) turned out to be also of Russian nationality. Initially the authorities in the drc explained that a first aircraft that was flying at low altitude would have hit the trees and would therefore be accidentally crushed. The second helicopter launched in search of the first, flying too low, would have crashed in turn… really out of luck! Some observers were amazed that these “accidents” in series occurred in a border area where m23 rebels are known to be present. In fact, we learn these last few hours, that the M23 seeks $ 1 million in exchange for the release of one of the two pilots. The man whose identity has been disclosed would respond to the identity of soso osurauli. Ex Colonel “retired” since 10 years of the Georgian armed forces, it would have taken from service in 2014 for the benefit of the armed forces of the DRC. Thus, it appears that the two aircraft were very likely to be slaughtered and not victims of the bad weather. Since Mid-January reports of a significant incursion of rebels of the March 23 movement from Uganda. Monuc during a press conference reported Wednesday, 22 February, what followed “with an extreme attention” the evolution of the situation” (Congo Intelligence, 23.02.2017).

M23 fleeing to Kisoro:

“Images-videos and photos of 56 M23 who fled the fighting of the hill Songo for finding refuge in Kisoro, Uganda reveal the reality of this armed group. The FARDC have managed to capture 20 during the fighting which started on Monday 20 February until Thursday, 23 February 2017 and which proves the superiority of the FARDC on this rebel movement. The first reports of war we brought back by our colleague auster malivika speak volumes. The Rebels sitting on the floor in Kisoro, Uganda supervised by Ugandan officers. On the field of battle in the DRC, a corpse swaddled in a plastic bag and the traces of leakage through the grouping Busanza” (Magloire Paluku, RadioKivu1, 25.02.2017)

Militants from Uganda in RDC:

“Kambale Musubao Blaise is an avid militant of the MSR / G7. During the last visit of the CENI vice-president to Beni, he allegedly stigmatized the harassment that the National Intelligence Agency (ANR) is applying at the border of the Rwenzori group with Uganda against Congolese people in that neighboring country who would like to be enrolled. Since the outbreak of massacres of civilians in the Beni region in October 2014, several Congolese have sought refuge on the Ugandan side of the border. Mr. Kambale had to raise this issue publicly during the meeting that the vice president of the CENI held with the authorities of the place in the multipurpose room of the Hotel Beni. Which now draws him any kind of boredom from the executioners of his community” (BLO, 2017).

As you can see the M23 continues in Nord-Kivu and create the armed acts against civilians and army. Where they can and still cause problems as they force themselves on innocent and the army themselves. So, M23 doesn’t have a plan of peace, but of control with fear and weapons. As MONUSCO and FARDC doesn’t stop them totally, as they fled again! You can also wonder what the UPDF does as they come from Uganda and is still close on their border and the ones taken by the army in Uganda is small contingent of the ones that left the barracks earlier this year with Gen. Sultani Makenga. There are so many questions, but certain reasons for the acts of brutality and killing. So that President Kabila can continue to reign without any mandate. Peace.

Reference:

BLO – ‘Alerte! Kambale Musubao Blaise en danger à Beni’ (26.02.2017) link: http://benilubero.com/alerte-kambale-musubao-blaise-en-danger-a-beni/