Successive governments in DR Congo have always had the bad habit of offloading their self-inflicted woes on others, to the extent that is has become a disease. The song since independence has always been that Congo’s problems are caused by others; if it is not the Belgians and their colonial legacy which turned them into rich paupers, it was the post-independence westerners who assassinated their progressive hero, Patrice Lumumba. When Mobutu was in power, Congolese officials unashamedly found pride in listing out the wealth amassed by their leaders and their lavish lifestyles, forgetting that they were legitimizing and entrenching the culture of kleptocracy. Now today, overwhelmed by their numerous homemade problems, they suddenly remember that they have a remedy – however temporary – so they start leafing through their scapegoat manual and land on Rwanda. Many solutions have been sought, with the help of the international community, to bring sanity to the giant but disorganised country, but no sooner has the ink dried on the numerous agreements than the DRC backtracks. This makes one wonder whether the DRC government really wants to bring sanity and order on its territory. The frustrations and cries of distress of its people seem to be landing on deaf ears because the powers-that-be are busy somewhere else- seeking where next to place blame. The country has become so adept at laying blame for their own shortcomings that it has taken the game of scapegoating to new heights, forgetting that whining is but a temporary solution. It will take more than just aspirin to cure headaches caused by hallucinations; if the DRC can learn not to look within itself with scapegoat glasses, the cure will not be far. Ends
