Rumors of possible threats to Dr. Mukwege's life took a tragic - if not ridiculous- turn when, on 28 August 2020, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet called for an investigation to determine those who were behind the threats and bring them to justice. One cannot help but be reminded of a similar case that rocked the American mainstream media and received global media coverage. The case is none other than the Jussie Smollet case. On January 29, 2019, American actor Jussie Smollett went to the police and alleged he was assaulted by two people he described as white men, wearing MAGA hats. He claimed they shouted racial and homophobic slurs, poured an unknown chemical substance, possibly bleach, on him and tied a noose around his neck.
It is not so much investigating possible threats to a person's life that is an issue. In fact, this is the normal procedure. What posesa problem is the credibility of those crying wolf in considering whom they accuse of being behind these threats. Dr Mukwege and his supporters were not very subtle in pointing the finger to Rwanda and more specifically to General James Kabarebe. To attract international attention, it sufficed to involve Dr. Mukwege-a figure whose international fame was built on the exploitation of the suffering that continues to create havoc in many parts of eastern DRC- and Rwanda. The subsequent noise provoked by these unfounded allegations produced the desired effect and attracted the attention of international media, ultimately leading to this call to investigate non-existent threats.
In the midst of racial tensions in America, Smollet’sallegations prompted celebrities and people all over the world to send messages of support to the Hollywood star. "We are deeply saddened and outraged to learn that a member of our EMPIRE family, Jussie Smollett, was viciously attacked last night. We send our love to Jussie, who is resilient and strong, and we will work with law enforcement to bring these perpetrators to justice” read a statement from Fox Television.
Well intentioned people all over the world and Smollet’s colleagues offered their unconditional support to someone they believed was a person of integrity and whose word they could not doubt. They pressured the police to conduct investigations and the police of Chicago acted swiftly.
One can only imagine their shock when the following month on February 21, news erupted that the "Empire" actor Smollett had been arrested for allegedly filing a false police report claiming he was the victim of a hate-crime. Chicago Police alleged that Smollett staged the attack because he was dissatisfied with his pay on Empire. Their findings pointed to the actor’s intention to take advantage of the tense environment of racial tensions in the U.S to attract global sympathy, enhance his stature as global star and use his newly acquired survivor status to demand a pay raise.
The tragic end of Smollet carrier was a stark reminder that no one should take shortcuts to advance personal gains. Similarly, Mukwege and his allies view instability in eastern DRC as the essential milk cow on which to build careers and get rich. They have vested interests in countering any cooperation between DRC and Rwanda that may bring peace in the Kivus; a region infested by rebel groups seeking to destabilize neighboring countries. In their repeated attempts to resurrect the leaked mapping draft which was rejectedfor its glaring methodological flaws and unsubstantiated allegations, they have decided to stage death threats on the life of Mukwege. Just like Smollet, Mukwege intends to take advantage of tensions in his country, attract global sympathy and redirect hostility to what he perceives as a threat to his career: The DRC and Rwanda cooperation in the fight against terror groups.
It is possible that the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet is acting with the best intentions. It is possible also that well intentioned people all over the world have been misled by this defamation campaign targeting a Rwandan general who was merely denouncing Mukwege and Co maneuverings. However, there is no doubt that the world is about to experience a similar shock to the one experienced by Jussie Smollet’s supporters when they were told that "it was all staged”.