RDC: Memorandum des Jeunes de l’UPDS Grand-Kivu et Ituri adresse a son Excellence Monsieur le President de la Republique, Felix Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo a Travers la Commission Ad Hoc mise en Place par la Circulaire No. 004 (09.11.2020)

RDC: Memorandum de la Conference Episocopale Nationale du Congo (CENCO) a l’Occasion des Consultations Nationales Initiees par le President de la Republque, Felix Antoine Tshisekedi (09.11.2020)

RDC: Memorandum du Dr Denis Mukwege a Monsieur la President de la Republique, Felix Tshisekedi a l’occasion des « consultations nationales » (07.11.2020)

Opinion: Tshisekedi thought he was King, but his only Kabila’s servant…

The consultations are prolonged with President Felix Tshisekedi who are trying to aspire for the top and getting more influence. However, when he went into the agreement or accord with the FCC. The President and leader of UPDS sold his coalition for a title. The CACH, the UPDS-UNC coalition gave way to the FCC  with their majority and in the end, would be the underdog in a agreement with them. He wouldn’t be the sole proprietor, but the ceremonial leader of the Republic. Something that has hit his ego and the ideals of Felix himself.

Now its over a year since they made the accord. The FCC-CACH was the altruistic agreement, which benefits the former President Joseph Kabila. Kabila doesn’t need a title, but his coalition of FCC still controls the Parliament and the Cabinet. The arrangement makes sure that the CACH is following the line of the FCC. That is why the consultations are happening. Still, that is a lost enterprise by Tshisekedi.

Tshisekedi sold his party and his vision for the priced possession of the Presidency. I called him a puppet from the get-go. However, it seems like it took time for him to understand that. With the negotiations and the time consuming appointments of cabinet members. It is like the President didn’t think he had to involve and listen to FCC before moving. This is why Tshisekedi will struggle or face harsh problems if he doesn’t follow the will of FCC. Even if the man isn’t initially part of the FCC, but he traded with them and this is the price.

That his trying to play the “Sacred Union” and save the union gimmick. This doesn’t shadow the accord already made and that he will loose out. If he plays to hard. The punishment will come his way. If the FCC has no tears for the fall of Vital Kamerhe. What can happen to the President himself?

Tshisekedi should be worried, that the FCC comes with such a statement as they did. It sends the signal that his not the big-man, but the one carrying the water for the moment. They have a hired mercenary and soldier on the front-line. UPDS-UNC has very little bargain or little leverage, if any. As that was traded for a title and some seats in the cabinet.

Kabila has outsmarted Tshisekedi and he knows it. No matter what road his taking. It will end in tears. There will be no victory for Tshisekedi. If he pushes to far… the FCC would punish him and make life even harder. The consultations are only showing to the public the weakness of this President.

A President who wants to be grand, be great and respected. However, he is forgetting how he got there. He didn’t win the election, neither did his comrades. No, he didn’t win anything, but he bargained himself to a position.

Tshisekedi cannot think he can play this one out differently. There will be no victory for him. He is a puppet. The President is a servant for the former President, which is an ironic place to be in. Kabila still pulling the strings, while Tshisekedi is the one in the limelight. However, to be someone’s pawn at the top must hurt his pride, but he got no choice. That is the deal he made and he got to live with it. Peace.

Opinion: Tshisekedi has forgotten his place

President Felix Tshisekedi aka Fatshi and Vital Kamerhe went into a coalition with Kabila’s FCC to create the FCC-CACH Coalition. A way to secure the Presidency and also ensure the needed ceremonial power to someone else than Joseph Kabila. That was all in the cards as the agreements was written and accepted. This was all a way of locking out Lamuka and their coalition from ceasing power.

The FCC have gotten most of the representatives, it has the majority in Parliament and in the regional governments across the Republic. The Kabila party and alliance is the strongest partner. The CACH, the UDPS and UNC is weak already. It doesn’t help Tshisekedi that his ally and the one he went into election with Kamerhe is behind bars and lingering in jail. That doesn’t boost the relations with the UNC.

The consultations made now by Tshiskedi is a supposed power move. Also, because the President doesn’t appreciate Prime Minister Sylvestre Ilunga Ilukamba, an ally of Kabila in the near midsts of the Presidency. However, the President got no choice either, as he is caught in the middle of Kamerhe and Kabila. Kamerhe is lost and his party too in a way. While Kabila holds all the cards to his chest.

That why Kabila has control of his ranks and his coalition, the FCC. They are all in line and working according to him. CACH is failing ahead and on a loosing streak. That is the President own misgivings and lack to detail. He sought so much the Presidency, that he forgot the finer prints and details of it all. Where Kabila have the upper hand and can await the storm.

Tshisekedi doesn’t have much wiggle room. That is why there is a sudden speculations of appointing Lamuka’s Moise Katumbi to the next Prime Minister. To have someone who will be loyal to the President and not Kabila. However, Katumbi is running his G-7/Ensemble and is one of the leaders of Lamuka. That would be betraying that and the Lamuka cause. Which is several of parties. Leaders of the Opposition, who shouldn’t get involved in these sort of government structure.

Neither will Katumbi give any legitimacy to the President. Yes, his beloved and has a standing as a politician. That is why Kabila have sent him into exile and blocked him from entering the Republic. Nevertheless, he does not have the electorate behind him and have the stature that give the ones in reign peace. Therefore, doing this is a gamble for them both and they will both end up loosing.

Kabila might allow it for a little time. But as Kamerhe went down and got court sided. Expect Kabila to have something up his sleeve, if the President dears to challenge him. That will be bloody and there will not be a merciful approach between them. Tshisekedi will regret doing that and Katumbi would be better off without the appointment.

Fatshi will only use Katumbi. There will be no victory or resounding fanfare. Kabila will lurk in the chambers and look out for missteps or find something from the past to haunt him. It will not a positive thing. Katumbi should learn the lesson from Kamerhe and see what happened to him. It will be no different with him.

Kabila is the one running the show from behind the scenes. Fatshi might want it otherwise, but then again. He accepted this arrangement and took the ceremonial piece. Fatshi accepted to be the middle-man and the one cutting ribbons. While Kabila have his fingers all over the place and calling the shots without being elected anywhere. That is what Fatshi accepted and signed over.

Now the pot is calling the kettle back. Fatshi will not win his, but only loose. It is just a matter of how much. Also, how much Kabila wants to humiliate him as well. Peace.

RDC: FDLR – Declaration de Soutien de Forces Democratiques de Liberation du Rwanda – Pour les Mesures Entreprises par le Gouvernement du Burundi de Chasser les Envahisseurs Hamities dans le Pays (12.10.2020)

Communiqué Final qui a sanctionné la deuxième session de la consultation ministérielle bilatérale sur la paix et la sécurité entre la République du Burundi et la RDC (05.10.2020)

RDC: Mouvement pour l’Eveil de Conscience et la Libération du Congo ( MELC) – Communique de Presse – Concerne: Sanglante incursion armes a Lubumbashi et tentative de balkanisation (27.09.2020)

CORRECTION: New coup by businessman and politician Moïse Katumbi in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

On Friday morning, 25 September 2020, at 7:30 am, several dozens of armed police officers entered by force into the premises of the company NB Mining Africa in Lubumbashi.

KINSHASA, Democratic Republic of Congo, September 30, 2020 – While several judgments of the French justice system have dismissed all of Moïse Katumbi’s claims, he continues to try to seize assets that he sold several years ago, citing local court decisions that have never been handed down. The intervention of armed forces in the Katanga region on behalf of Moïse Katumbi poses a threat to the rule of law in the country.

On Friday morning, 25 September 2020, at 7:30 am, several dozens of armed police officers entered by force into the premises of the company NB Mining Africa (http://NB-MiningAfrica.com) in Lubumbashi (Katanga region, DRC), alongside members of the Public Prosecutor’s Office, to expel the NB Mining Africa teams.

The alleged legal basis for this action is unfounded and fallacious. NB Mining Africa is the victim of repeated harassment and intimidation, in total violation of the principles of law, with judgments that are not even publicized: the company has not been summoned before any court to assert its rights and the company’s representatives were never kept informed. Everything is happening in complete illegality, in violation of the rights of the defence and through an undisguised manipulation of the judicial system.

It would appear that armed forces are now heading towards Ruashi Mining to seize the company’s machinery and equipment.

Pascal Beveraggi, president of NB Mining Africa, says: “From someone who has run for the highest position in the country, it is unworthy to use force in this way, using the judicial authorities of a region he once governed. No elementary principle of law has been respected. French justice has ruled on what was only a matter for French justice: Moïse Katumbi sold his company, wanting to reappropriate it is pure and simple theft.”

Opinion: Reminiscing about Maj. Gen. Kazini [and will Museveni launch a “new breed” of military entrepreneurialism in North Kivu?]

This isn’t a far fetched, ancient history and such. Many of the men behind the ills of the past is still lingering around. They are in the chambers of powers, having titles and being called “honourable”. These men used their opportunities in the past to earn fortunes on the misery of others. They created massive networks, supported local militias and forged companies to ensure wealth. These was Generals, High Ranking Officials and Associates of the President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni.

This they did across the Democratic Republic of Congo. These men in question was Gen. Salim Selah, Gen. Kahinda Otafiire and Maj. Gen. James Kazini. They we’re all participating in the plundering, the looting and the illicit resource flight from the DRC to Uganda. They ensured the military presence and their allies could extract, steal and operate illegal businesses to profit out of. That was all done with the blessing of the “High Above” in Kampala.

Today, I started to reminiscing about Maj. Gen. James Kazini, the late General who was killed by his girlfriend in 2009. That was year after the war in the DRC ended. The man who had together with various of factions, barriers to market and usage of force made it possible to enrich himself on the conflict. He together with Gen. Salim Selah secured companies like Victoria Group. Victoria Group even had as one of their shareholders being Gen. Muhoozi Kainerubaga. That’s why this enterprise was supported, all from the top!

The Uganda People’s Defence Force (UPDF) used the power they had in the region to exploit the mineral resource and re-export it. Like selling diamonds, gold and coffee as Ugandan, but it origins was from the DRC.

Therefore, knowing all this, as the news of the Cabinet Meeting in Entebbe on Monday this week. Which stated building road-network in the North Kivu Province. I cannot help to think, that it’s not only a wet-dream for road-scandal with tenders, lost funds and ghosts. Also with the history of the UPDF. The history of men like Maj. Gen. Kazini. There could be people willing to profit from the sins of the past again. Especially, profitable mineral resources as cobalt and others, which happens to be in North Kivu.

So, if Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) is building the roads in North Kivu. Then, the President and his team will come excuses that the UPDF need a battalion to ensure the safety of contractors and engineers. While, the same army will also configure ways to participate in more military entrepreneurialism in the province. That would be a way to kick-back and make it profitable.

That the UPDF and UNRA would do this wouldn’t be shocking. There is to much resources and possible exploits for them to not grab it. Even if it is a illicit business and illegal. Still, to this day the Ugandan government is exploiting Congolese gold as they are minting it at the Gold Refinery in Entebbe. Which is why, I am thinking there is more plans ahead in North Kivu.

They are not just going there to tarmac some roads and build a bridge or two. No, they are not compensation for the past hurt and looting. No, these men are finding a new way to exploit and profit of the situation. This is the same government that has used Kisoro as a base and supported para-military groups in the DRC. The same government that was a safe-haven for M-23 soldiers. Therefore, I have little trust of the goodwill…

Until proven otherwise. Peace.