Kabila's Congo?
by Chido Nwangwu
SUMMARY OF ESSAY:
It is Kabila's Congo to make better, all right. But is not Kabila's Congo
to rule as he desires; as his whims and personal dislikes dictate. No.
The world is watching. How he understands this subtle but fundamental
difference and excercise of state power will determine his place in that
country's history. Will he squander his privilege or make a fundamental
difference?
Reports from Kinshasa regarding continuing harrassment of thousands of
other Congolese citizens who are supporters of former anti-Mobutu prime
minister Etienne Tshisekedi (athough he served under disgraced former
president of then Zaire Mobutu Sese Seko) by armed forces of the now ruling
government of Zaire led by Mr. Kabila raises serious concerns.
Why are we concerned?
One of the key challenges facing leaders inside the African continent
and ironically hundreds of sub-municipal/community oragnizations here in
the United States has been the drive by the apparently more powerfulto
dominate the structures and levers of power either through direct personal
aggrandizement or by proxy through a motley of willing zombies and cronies.
This unseemly desire to privatize and inflict a sweeping, stifling control
over public resources and positions relating to the service of the public
interest is sometimes seen as a means to an end (self-preservation from a
vicious, and equally greedy opposition) by these leaders.
First, Kabila should not make the same fatal misjudgement about an assumed personal inevitability of his role regarding the course of the history of that country of over 45 million people. For example, Mobutu, the despicable corrupter-in-chief he drove from the presidential palace in Mont Ngaliema suffered an extreme case of delusion of presidential value, a warped,dislocated sense of self-worth, a prodigious appetite for violent greed and a legion of other diabolisms. He thought, foolishly, Mobutu was Zaire-Congo, and Zaire-Congo was Mobutu. He was dead wrong. It was his fatal flaw. Kabila should not convey impressions and actions that leave any such, or similar misreading of the interests of the Congolese people as he alters his country's moral, political and economic destination.
Second, Kabila's riding to power did not happen overnight; at Kabila
say-so. No. His, is a victory, signifying the collective sacrifice and
sweat in blood and tears by Congolese-Zairean women, children, men and a
few international friends of his people. Without, a doubt, Kabila served
as the critical, key catalyst who channelled popular opposition to
effective, political and military outcome. Yet, he cannot afford to be
an autocrat. In fact, he cannot be allowed to execute any such
reckless, self-serving agenda by his country folks and the international
community.
Third, Kabila must be reminded, now, that the days of the battles in the bushes and streets of Kinshasa, Kwango Kivu, Kisangani, Shaba, Kasese and other zones of direct confrontation with the despicable regime of Mobutu has been won; the task at hand is that of governing with an inclusive, but harmonious, coalition of Congolese patriots. I do not pretend to know the chemistry of Kabila and Tshisekedi's personalities as the relate to the important responsibility of governing. If Kabila objectively reached the conclusion that Tshesekedi will constitute a problem for the smooth running of the new Congo government, Kabila's team is very much within reason and reality to look elsewhere for a national role for that former Prime Minister rather than create a table in the new cabinet for continuing, needless dissipation of talent and energies.
I believe an emerging political force in the African continent and current South Africa deputy president Thabo Mbeki has an instructive point on this issue which the world should also take into proper consideration. According to Mbeki "We (South Africa) have not sought to intervene in terms of the political personalities in the Congo. We really do not know the personalities and I cannot answer on the impact of these political personalities."
Although, the comparison is not the same, no one in Washington will seek
to pressure U.S president Bill Clinton to appoint his fellow Democratic
party member and Nebraska Senator Bob Kerrey as his White House ethics
counselor/adviser. You do not reward people with positions in givernemnt
just to appease distant, dissimilar considerations. However, you must work
hard to accommodate the efforts and visions of those who changed the course
of history to bring you to power. Tshisekedi played such role(s) with
Kabila for Zaire-Congo.
Fourth, as a political realist, I also know there can only be one captain in a transforming Congo. Kabila is leading that effort to reshape the new Congo from the ruins of Mobutu's years of financial mayhem and social destruction of basic human values, mores, religious freedom, womanhood, ethics, soldiering, academic research, honesty, and other basic ingredients of a moral, social community.
Kabila, I hope, not drunken by the heady wine of victory and dictatorial
indulgences flowing from the battle fields of the Congo should never
forget the history of the world indicates that authoritarianism and its
other more artful emanations will continue to be safe for any dictator,
the all-powerful generalismo or commandante, as a 100-feet palace built on
Sahelian sand dunes will be in the line of a swift desert gale. In a
sentence, it is safe as a candle in the wind. Will Kabila's Congo be a
candle in the wind? It's his choice and burden.
*Nwangwu is the Founder & Publisher, USAfrica The Newspaper, USAfrica Moneywatch, USAfricaonline.com, Digital Media Networks. copyright © May 1997
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