***Photo Mvemba Phezo Dizolele. Residential downtown Kinshasa.
Earlier this month, in a commentary piece for World Politics Watch called "The Battle for Kinshasa," I examined the political importance of the country’s capital for anyone who means to gain power. This week I discuss my perspectives with WPW’s editor, Guy Taylor. Listen to the podcast.
***Photo Afrikblog. Etienne Tshisekedi addresses supporters in Kinshasa.
Forget Antoine Gizenga and never mind Nzanga Mobutu. Etienne Tshisekedi wa Mulumba holds the key to Mont Ngaliema. Whatever candidate gets his blessing will be Congo’s next president.
Once again, Tshisekedi’s UDPS is front and center in the debate. As well as it should be. After all, Congo is here today thanks to the Inter-Congolese dialogue, which Tshisekedi initiated. When the transitional government leaders dragged their feet and tried to avoid the elections altogether, Tshisekedi demanded they keep the timetable. Congolese politics does that – thrusting reluctant leaders, such as Tshisekedi, back into the fray. UDPS may be boycotting the electoral process, but their opposition cannot be neutral.
When Jean-Pierre Bemba delivered a compelling speech and unveiled his new Union pour la Nation coalition last weekend, he was flanked by several senior members of UDPS. Supporters in the crowd waved UDPS flags as they cheered for the man Congolese call Mwana Congo (the son of Congo).
It seemed Bemba had garnered UDPS backing – Tshisekedi’s tacit blessing. This development was expected, as Tshisekedi’s partisans helped place Bemba in second position in the first round. Short of their beloved helmsman, they see Mwana Congo as the defender of the nation.
***Photo Mvemba Phezo Dizolele. Boulevard du 30 Juin in Kinshasa.
This week I discussed Congo’s elections on PBS’ Foreign Exchange with Fareed Zakaria, editor of Newsweek International. Listen to the exchange.
***Photo Mvemba Phezo Dizolele. Art market in Kinshasa.
A new parliament got inaugurated last week. Good news for Joseph Kabila’s Alliance pour la Majorité Présidentielle. They worked hard to build a large coalition and got the majority in parliament. It gives hope to the president’s supporters. Maybe, just maybe, Kabila could ride that momentum and win the runoff next month.
More importantly, the new parliament is potentially good news for the people.
This past summer, I followed a candidat député on the campaign trail in Bas-Congo. There were 49 candidates for three seats in that district. It took a lot to win. With over 9,000 candidates for the 500-seat parliament, this scenario repeated itself across the country. The new members of parliament can claim strong popular mandate, which gives them power to push for real change, should they take their responsibility seriously. But, considering the nature and composition of Kabila’s majority coalition, is this good news?
The great news for Kabila is the support he received from Antoine Gizenga and Nzanga Mobutu. Like war, the elections are part psychology, part strategy and part resources.
***Bemba (forefront) and Kabila (left) meet after a bloody fallout.
A month ago, President Joseph Kabila’s forces pounded Vice-President Jean-Pierre Bemba’s residential compound with heavy weaponry for three days. In the process, they also destroyed his helicopter. In an unprecedented and bold move, republican guards forced 14 ambassadors meeting with Bemba to seek shelter in the vice-president’s basement as they lobbed artillery shells on the residence.
A week ago, the two nemeses met behind close doors, posed for the cameras and made no statement to the world. What a pity. But then again, what did we expect Mr. Kabila to say? “I am sorry I pounded your nice villa?” I don’t think so. Or Perhaps Mr. Bemba should have jumped on this opportunity and told the Congolese, “Now you all know that he did it.” That is not presidential either. So, what works?
Three days ago, Bemba’s television and radio stations went up in flames and burned to naught. Nothing. Gone. No warning. Nothing — just one big bang and no more TV and radio for Mr. Bemba. Sabotage? Arson? Accident? Bad fuse? I have no idea.
***Photo Mvemba Phezo Dizolele — Bunia.
MONUC’s Human Rights Assessment summarizes the situation in Congo as follows:
In Kinshasa, three-day fighting following the announcement of presidential elections’ provisional results led to 23 people killed and 43 others injured; in connection with these events, eighty-four fishermen were illegally arrested and subjected to ill-treatment and torture by the ‘Garde Républicaine’ (GR); new cases of human rights violations perpetrated by the Armed Forces of the DRC (FARDC), GR and the National Intelligence Agency (ANR) officers; mass rape committed by the Congolese National Police (PNC) agents in Equateur highlight the climate of impunity in which security forces continue to operate; Human rights violations committed by FDLR militiamen continue to be reported. A Congolese militia leader sentenced for crimes against humanity.
***Photo United States Institute of Peace
In an interview with Radio Okapi last Saturday September 16, William Swing, the UN Special Representative in the DRC, talks about the meeting held on Wednesday September 13 between J. Kabila and J.P. Bemba, the two DRC second round presidential candidates.
His message was simple:
"It is necessary to entirely underline initially that the process of transition, obviously, is a Congolese process. And this is a process which is supported by the international community, the greatest support since independence, and I believe that the international community is a faithful partner to the Congolese people; we work together.
What the international community waited for was that the will, the determination and the choices of the Congolese are respected by the leaders of the country. They voted massively, they expressed their wish and I believe that (if I am correctly informed) that the deputies who were elected will be installed at the latest by next Friday September 22."
***Photo Mvemba Phezo Dizolele - Kinshasa.
“A large fire broke out Monday at the party headquarters of Congolese presidential challenger Jean-Pierre Bemba.
Smoked poured out into the street as firefighters worked to contain the blaze in the late afternoon. U.N. tanks arrived to secure the area while Bemba supporters gathered outside the building, chanting "Things are going to get hot today! Those who think Bemba will die are wrong!"
The United Nations has a large force in the restive Central African country to secure elections — the country’s first multiparty presidential ballot in more than four decades.
Unexplained fires also broke out during the first round of presidential campaigning.
Everyone was successfully evacuated from the burning building, which also houses the party’s television and radio stations, said Jean-Pie Ndjojdi, assistant director of one of the two television stations.
Three weeks after their forces fought each other, Vice-President Jean-Pierre Bemba and President Joseph Kabila met yesterday.
The two presidential contenders, turned nemeses, met twice at the Palais de la Nation in
After the tête-à-tête meeting, the two contenders smiled for the cameras, but had no comment for the press. What would they say? How about “we appreciate each other and are determined to make the process work”? Right.
I have thought about this long awaited meeting many times and wondered how you behave when you meet someone whose forces tried to kill you. What do you say to him? Well, it is politics; it makes for strange bedfellows.
The situation remains tense in
I have always been a big fan of Charlayne Hunter-Galt. I followed her regularly when she was with the MacNeil/Lehrer Newshour. Her new book offers great perspective on recent developments in Africa.
Alseny Ben Bangoura, a fellow journalist, interviewed her earlier to gather her insight.
In her book "New News Out of Africa", Charlayne Hunter-Galt, America’s National Public Radio (NPR) special correspondent in Africa, offers a new perspective about the continent. Underscoring the democratic reforms and positive developments in many countries, Galt writes about an Africa that is rarely heard or seen in the Western World. She focuses on the fall of apartheid in South Africa, and continent-wide changes since the end of colonialism; also she explains what journalists may confront in reporting from the continent. Galt told AfricaLog.com that she hopes her book would generate discussions and debates and, if possible, heighten the consciousness of people, help those interested in Africa to learn more about the continent.
Read Bangoura’s interview with Hunter-Galt