Saturday, 17 December 2016

DR CONGO: CONGOLESE ARE HOSTAGES AND VICTIMS IN THEIR OWN COUNTRY

By its history, the status of the Congo has always wavered between a sovereign state or under the tutelage of United Nations. Nevertheless all data show that the Congo suffers from an alteration of its faculties which no longer enable it to defend its interests and its people. As a result, the hugger-mugger in Congo is willful and organized, and the political system that governs the Congo is the least opaque that can be found in the world.


The heads of state of the Great Lakes region gathered in
 Angola on the 26/10/2016  to support Kabila

Congolese people are held hostage on three dimensions called the "Trilogy of Governance in the Congo":

  • The international tutelage that includes the grid of International Community and the grid of African heads of state such as Angola (the interventionist), and Uganda and Rwanda (the expansionists)...;
  • The dictatorial government;
  • The palliative opposition parties and civil society.

Describing more the role of Congolese political actors in the perpetual crisis of Congo, it is necessary to consider that the USA and EU sanctions are hard to enforce and would be ineffective as it is noticed those who are targeted are having normal life.

The state of political Class

The political class - which includes the opposition, the ruling party and certain civil society - does not defend the interests of Congolese people.

1) The governance of the ruling party called la Majorité Presidentielle (MP)

The  MP governance  is based on “Take what you can” and of the reinforcement of politics of identity over ideas highly due to so-called fuelled-ethnic conflicts. The culture of clientelism and predation has also destroyed the already weak country foundation.

As the colonisers did in the past, the "proxy-Joseph Kabila" uses the social fragmentation, the ethnic division and corruption in order to prevent Congolese from organizing collective action.

Thus the 15 years of Joseph Kabila's ruling which is called “rebelship regime” result on: People without ID card; State without Borders; World capital of rape and violence; More than 10 million dead; Ongoing killings and massacres; Weak army; A broken down health or nonexistent system; Weak education system (Schools sold); The economy in free fall; Repression, insecurity; Endemic corruption...... The list of wrongdoings is endless.


The real opposition that is the people wants Kabila to end
 his 15-year rule in December 

2) Palliative Oppositions Parties

DR Congo has a strong presidential system and a powerless parliament to help shape debate. The parliament cannot diminish immunity from wrongdoing of the ruling party called la Majorité Presidentielle (MP). The parliament is ineffective in challenging the ruling opposition. The opposition fragmentation and weak capacity is mostly highlighted by self-interests and hidden agendas of Congolese politicians.

The opposition has specifically a palliative role to accompany and legitimize the dictatorial policy of the country. Knowing very well that denunciation is a way of fighting this system, the opposition does not denounce in depth the misdeeds of the regime. Instead and in the present context, the opposition used set-up and subliminal terms -such as “Pongi ya bébé” -a Lingala term meaning “let it go”-, “glissement” –French term meaning “slippage”, peaceful demonstration, and game of red, yellow orgreen card- to control the temperament of the Congolese people, the primary sovereign.

From the red card to the green card, this is how the opposition - knows as Gathering (Rassemblement)- tries to get rid of Joseph Kabila. Instead, the opposition asks or would ask the Prime Minister's Office in the caretaker government. This shows us that the referee can change  his cards at anytime.

Additionally, the opposition knows that the CENI (Independent National Electoral Commission) is not independent; it continues to demand the elections without asking a deep assessment and reform of this electoral commission.

The state of Congolese mind

The Congolese population is demanding: the complete reshuffle of the political class; the change of Congo status, the end of the “rebelship regime”; justice; and simple word a democratic governance.

There was war and dictatorship before Mr Joseph Kabila -who ran the country for 15 years - came to power. Desperate to find the democratic path which is their identity because the country is called Democratic Republic of Congo, Congolese thought they could breathe and find their bearings. Instead of peace, Congo was unfortunately brought back to war and a bloody dictatorship of Joseph Kabila that is comparable to the governance of Congo by King Leopold II, the butcher.

The 2006 elections were badly organized and those of 2011 had many inconsistencies, the people said that democracy will improve because it is an exercise.

Given that Joseph Kabila was entitled to two terms, the people thought that he was going to hand over power in a civilized way to someone else. But unfortunately, Congolese felt since 2015 that there was this propensity to want to organize the “glissement”.

Congolese -who see Kabila's management as calamitous- suffer in his flesh, and believe that the end of Kabila's term should automatically lead to change and should bring hope to light. But the regime does not want to yield because it is preoccupied by its fears of future prosecutions. And as a deterrent, Kabila armed himself to facilitate the slippage.
Today, people are frustrated, completely lost.

Also, the sense of Congolese identity and unity is only advocated by politicians that have only the purpose of continuing in this system of organized and willful disorder. Hence the question: is the great Congo beneficial to the Congolese?

However, everyone knows that without infrastructure, the great DR Congo is ungovernable. And anyone who talks about the integrity of Congo-State -without the change of its status in the eyes of International Community- thinks of uncontrollable extraction of Congo resources and loss of its territorial sovereignty.
How will Congolese act on December 19, 2016 and after?
Given that the Congolese constitution has a participatory vocation and the people remain the primary sovereign and principal. This is referred into article 5 of the constitution, and that if today there is no election; then "Congolese people should stand up and claim the legitimacy of their rights. Noting that political leaders are making them accept the ”glissement”, and disregard their needs as the calling of National Dialogues after National Dialogues just shows it.
The mission of bishops (CENCO), in relation the present Catholic dialogue, is difficult and vicious since there is no much sincerity on the part of the Kabila camp. Therefore, people do not think of a happy outcome on this second dialogue since the constitutional crisis is orchestrated by the ruling party.

The convocation of  bishops’ dialogue is to cushion the shock that can cause the people insurrection. This means not demonstration until the outcome of the dialogue that never represents the will of the people. In addition, Bishops are running out of time, and the regime uses this strategy to win the time.

Leaders said "there must be a consensual solution to preserve human lives. But this does not mean that it is necessary to encroach on the constitutional prescriptions and tread on the choice of the Congolese people to choose these leaders".

Other voices say "noting the Congolese sealed fate, the interruption of internet signal and the military presence in the street: nothing will happen."

What about the people? What will happen? Nobody can determine. But People are determined to assert their sovereignty because:


  • The people are laminated by misery;
  • People see the end of Kabila mandate as an opportunity, for them to put the country on the rail; 
  • Kabila's regime has nothing more to promise the people;
  • This regime took all the cogs in a state of hostage;
  • Congolese politicians are not able to manage the state and to understand the society itself. They are politicians just to fill their pockets and stand up against the primary sovereign;

Considering the toxic combination of the above, people are conscious, educated, follows policy, knows their rights and ready even to sacrifices to preserve their sovereignty.

The decor is set. What to expect on the December 19, 2016 and after...?

Unless Mr. Kabila says that: he will not run again; he will respect the human rights of Congolese; he acknowledges that the people are the real primary sovereign; and that if they manifest, he will bend.

The fate of the Congo is sealed by the International Community, the multinationals, its politicians, and its leaders.

Only united Congolese, that look in the same direction, would claim their rights.

By Ishiaba Kasonga
With the collaboration of Serge Egola Angbakodolo
From ORION CONGO STUDIES NETWORK (O.C.S.N)
















































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