For whoever that has been following the ongoing situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) regarding the imbroglio between two friends-turned foes between the then acolyte and guru, what’s ongoing shows that things have fallen apart among the two. When former president Joseph Kabila shocked the world by pulling a surprise in 2018 that saw the incumbent president Felix Tshekedi win presidency without parliamentary majority, many thought Kabila was seeking to keep his grasps on power, which is true. Nonetheless, his hat tricks worked though temporarily. For, Tshekedi claimed to power without any meaningful majority that would help him to fulfill his polices and promises. Indeed, without any majority in the parliament, Tshekedi had, out of necessity, to temporarily depend on Kabila whose party the Parti du Peuple pour la Reconstruction et la Démocratie (PPRD) won 500 seats of the National Assembly and 108 Senate seats compared to only 32 and 0 in the Senate Tshekedi’s the Union pour la Démocratie et le Progrès Sociale (UPDS) won after such shocking and unexpected results, Kabila and Tshekedi formed a coalition known as the Front commun pour le Congo (FCC) (Kabila) and Cap pour le changement (CACH) for Tshekedi. Of course, this made Kabila happy despite the fact that Tshekedi was knottily grappling with how to detach himself from Kabila so as to enjoy his presidency.
Essentially, Kabila calculated to have the president he’d use to run the country by proxy. After Tshekedi bracing himself in the chair, he started to deconstruct the system that created him. He used jujitsu to technically extricate himself from Kabila whose majority is now the one Tshekedi is using to prolix Kabila power and thereby becomes his own man who would apply and enjoy his president without any body to puppeteer. Thus, he started the crusade that’d free him from Kabila. Of recent, Kabila’s man in the government, PM Sylvestre Ilunga Ilunkamba had to bow down after the parliament voted for his removal for incompetence whereby 367of 500 deputies (Daily Nation, January 29, 2021) supported the removal of Ilunkamba. Where did Tshekedi get the votes? This speaks how he is slowly demolishing Kabila’s fortress in the government.
In all respects, considering what is unfolding in this power undercurrents in the DRC, suffices to warn that the two leaders need to see to it that their scrimmages end without needlessly destabilising a fragile country. They need to take a leaf from Ilunkamba who was quoted as saying “as a statesman, I drew the conclusion from the evolution of the current political situation.” Ilunkamba might wrongly seem to be weak, he sets a very good precedent for others to understand and accept that the country is bigger than personal interests. Yes, the country is the same even when the shoe is on the other foot. Presidency, too, remain public institution that must be used for public interests and purposes but not personal. If this is abode with, nobody is supposed to live in fear of being persecuted if there is nothing to be persecuted for.
Kabila has lost it after some 391 deputies joined Tshekedi and thereby giving him the majority and the cudgel, he needed to freely push through his agenda as per his mandate as president. such a move lanced the boil for Tshekedi.
Apart from the removal of Ilunkamba, Tshekedi has already announced the cessation of his coalitions with Kabila. Chips are down for Kabila and his allies. However, despite that, the DRC needs to move forward. To do so, the two bulls in the stable must not fight. They must take a shine to the stability of the country as opposed to short personal gains. Kabila must underscore the fact that he was able to lead the DRC for 18 and brought about some changes simply because he had nobody to tussle with over the power as he is currently trying to do.
After the resignation of Ilunkamba, two more giants allied to Kabila were brought down. These the former Speakers of the House and Senate Jeanine Mabunda and Alexis Mwamba respectively. This marks the end of Kabila’s indirectly grip on power in the DRC. Now that Kabila loss to Tshekedi is obvious, what should he wait to see? Will he face the whack on the face whereby his dirty linens will be put in the agora for every eye to see? Will he be slapped with all types of charges and whataboutery resulting to his performance when he was in office? Such questions above cannot be ignored provided that–––if there were nothing for Kabila to hide or fear–––there’d not been any attempt to cling unto power through proxies in various institutions. Tanzania has this culture. Ever since its founder relinquished power, no outgoing president has ever sought to have his finger on the trigger or to have sleepless nights simply because his successor would hauntingly hound. This has led to peaceability and stability in the country. However, this doesn’t come easily. It needs those who want to enjoy such a post-power life to prepare themselves for it by ruling accountably and trustworthily.
Up and down, shall Kabila face some charges, he should take a leaf from the neighbouring Angola where the family of the former president Eduardo dos Santos has faced many corruption-related charges preferred by the government of João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço’s government. Lourenço, Dos Santos’ handpicked successor turned tables on his mentor soon after bracing himself in office the same way Tshekedi has proved to be doing. Despite all tribulations Dos Santos’ family has decided to carry its cross instead of embarking on destabilising the country for personal and private gains. Also, it is important for the duo in the DRC must avoid the weaponization of their privileges as former and incumbent presidents. This means the duo need to tamp down or truncate the stratagems by considering how the DRC has always been made feeble since it was under fickle and foul rule for a long time. Avoiding escalating the mess the DRC has been in is the only thoughtful and patriotic option left for the duo. Yes, if they fail to act responsibly, they’ll escalate the situation. An apple doesn’t fall far from a tree.
In sum, although Kabila––Tshekedi struggle for power might wrongly be deemed as a mere chink, the truth of the matter is, if there’s no letup, it can end up becoming a big and stinking gash. Whatever modicum the duo has, if any, what should guide them is the love and prominence of the nation but not personal grandeurs. There’s no logical need for any of the two leaders two hoodwink Congolese by creating and inviting chaos and schemes all revolving around power ravenousness and covetousness. Kabila did his 18 years despite his controversial performance as the head of state. He must let Tshekedi do his part freely and peacefully so that the Congolese judge him according to that as is now the case for Kabila. Power belongs to the people but not warlords or anything like it. Nobody has exclusive ownership of it. Let Kabila help Tshekedi to build the DRC in lieu of demolishing it for personal feats.
Source: African Executive Magazine today.
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