Why Congolese need to stand tall and decide their own future

In an imaginary interview with Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, quoted from his book “Challenge of the Congo”, was asked his thoughts after he witnessed the brutal assassination of Patrice Lumumba in 1961. As he said, imperialists were very interested in controlling Africa. Nkrumah was asked why imperialists seemed to be particularly obsessed with the Congo? In his response, Nkrumah said that if the Congo had not been so rich in mineral resources and the happy hunting ground of foreign monopolists, it would not have attracted such anxious attention and might have been left to solve its own problems. Now one would ask who will save the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) from imperialists hands. Will it be one of its current political figures, including President Felix Tshisekedi, Prime Minister Judith Suminwa, Moise Katumbi, leader of the Together for the Republic party? Former president Joseph Kabila, Martin Fayulu, leader of the Lamuka coalition, the Nobel Peace Prize winner Denis Mukwege, Corneille Nangaa, the President of the Alliance Fleuve Congo (AFC), Bertrand Bisimwa, the President of the Movement du 23 Mars (M23) or General Sultani Makenga, the Military leader of the M23? Although many observers think that the future of the DRC depends on a multifaceted approach involving the Congolese people, the African Union the European Union, the U.S., and international organizations, the only and only truth is that the Congolese people themselves have the most crucial role in shaping their own destiny, while international actors can provide support. Who then in the DRC is capable of inspiring the Congolese people in shaping their own destiny? The right Congolese figure that seems to be on the top of the people who would bring peace to the Congolese should be President Felix Tshisekedi. Unfortunately, the system put in place by his leadership aims to allow him to stay in power rather than bring peace to his people. I believe you have heard about the association or a political party called “L’union des Valeurs Tshisekedistes (UVT). Although it is originally a political party, UVT is an association that brings together all the supporters of President Felix Tshisekedi and wants him to stay in power at whatever cost. On Monday September 09, 2024, after the discussion in Luanda, Angola between the DRC and Rwanda, the Congolese Minister of Information, Patrick Muyaya said in an interview with France 24 that “two issues are at the center of the negotiations between the DRC and Rwanda.” The first one was the neutralisation of the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), founded by Rwandans accused of commiting genocide against the Tutsi in 1994. The second issue was the request of the DRC for the Rwandan forces to withdraw from the DRC and stop its support to the M23 fighters. Although Muyaya is right to some extent, the DRC government has two anti-ideals that cannot allow this to happen. The first anti-ideal is the FDLR. The Ex-FAR and interahamwe rebaptised the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), received support from all governments in the DRC starting with Mobutu, then Laurent Desire Kabila, Joseph Kabila and Felix Tshisekedi’s regimes. All these regimes used the FDLR as a proxy force. The second anti-ideal is the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF). The Tshisekedi Government made sure the world believes that apart from the FDLR, there is also a force of the RDF fighting alongside the M23/AFC, that should withdraw from its territory, knowing that there are no Rwandan soldiers on its soil. One anti-ideal being a proxy force to help them defeat the enemy, the second anti-ideal a pretext to justify their ‘sovereignty’ accusations, where they accuse the M23, Tutsi (RDF and Rwanda in extension) of being foreigners. And to be able to protect this sovereignty with its army seemed a difficult task. They sought support from the Congolese youth known as Wazalendo, the FDLR, the Burundian army, SADC and mercenaries. To keep Tshisekedi in power, the UVT wanted to get rid of the M23, accused of being foreigners, with the support of the FDLR and Burundi and in return, help the FDLR and Burundi to overthrow the regime in Rwanda. When their plan to defeat the M23 and to overthrow the Kigali regime by Tshisekedi and his allies, including MONUSCO, SAMIDRC, FDLR, SADC, Burundi, Wazalendo, and foreign mercenaries has utterly failed, they then turn to the U.S., where they presented minerals to the U.S. in exchange of helping them defeat the M23, meaning the Tutsi, the outsiders and the foreigners. For the UVT, Doha negotiation and Washington declaration of principles seem not so important. If they were important, we would have seen Foreign Minister Therese Kayikwamba informing her followers on her X about Washington 's progress as her Rwandan counterpart did. But, for Kayikwamba, it seems Wasbington negotiations were like no event. Her last message on X dates January 26, 2025. Following closely what Kinshasa is doing, it looks like they are not ready to give up the Tshisekedists’ ‘valeurs’ (never give up power), which will make the materialization of Doha negotiations and Washington declaration of principles impossible. Although Tsbisekedi seems to accept that the military solution cannot save the nation, his works on the ground show that he still believes in this solution. He still believes that with the support of the FDLR, the Burundi army, the Kingdom of Belgium, his army and the Wazalendo can defeat the M23/AFC and allow him to stay in power. Recently, after he saw that his expectations from the U.S. did not come quickly as he wished, he turned to Abu Dhabi, Beijing, Moscow and N'Djamena. Will Felix Tshisekedi end up crossing the famous red line that he had imposed on himself and meet the M23/AFC? Let’s think that he accepts the negotiations. Will the negotiations end automatically the conflict? Let’s remember that he has three actors at the other side of the table of negotiations, with three revendations. First, there is the M23, demanding the respect for the 2013 agreements, namely their reintegration into the army, their transformation into a political movement, and the return of refugees from Rwanda and Uganda. Then comes Rwanda, which requests the neutralization of the FDLR, and then Corneille Nangaa's AFC, with a radical demand for the departure of Felix Tshisekedi. We doubt these negotiations will really answer these questions. They will just allow Tshisekedi to detail his downfall. Recent history has shown us that the DRC respective governments since Mobutu rely on the FDLR to defeat the so called ‘Tutsi’ invasion. Should the M23/AFC force its way to Kinshasa and change the course of history by installing a government that will no more hunt Tutsi and that will tell the generations to come that hatred, divisionism and segregation have never succeeded against love, unity and togetherness? Is this the best time for the Congolese people to tell the world that they don't want their help, even though they are trying to be nice and helpful with them? Haven’t they been nice and helpful since 1960? What is sure is that the people of the DRC are undoubtedly on the way to decide their own future, free from foreign interference. And Tshisekedi is helping them unknowingly. Difficulties and uncertainties will have to be faced, but one thing is for sure, as said Kwame Nkrumah, “the victors in the final battle for Congo’s emancipation will spring from the blood of Lumumba.”

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Why Congolese need to stand tall and decide their own future