KABILA MUST BE 'CRYING' RIGHT NOW

He can start a new era in the history of DRC

By John Blanshe Musinguzi

In early November the final stage of ending crisis in DRC-signing peace agreement stalled in Kampala after defeat of M23 rebel by government forces backed by the Special Intervention Brigade of UN peacekeeping force and MONUSCO and SADCA re-enforcement. Probably Kabila thought that life would much better since M23- a group which could not allow to sig properly in the ‘big chair’ ceased to exist.

He wanted the group-M23 to sign a declaration as a defeated group rather than a peace agreement.

In late November, anxious Kabila drove from Kinshasa to Goma. The over 1,000 km road trip that began on November 20, 2013 and ended on 26^th. He wanted to show the world that his government forces were in control of the whole country.

Unfortunately, government forces cannot claim to be in full control of DRCand Kabila must be panicking right now, lamenting to God why a failed ‘coup’ attack in capital Kinshasa.

The Democratic Republic of Congo's army this morning engaged before repulsing several attacks in the capital, Kinshasa, by an "unknown terrorist group", the government says. The state TV headquarters, the international airport and a military base in the city were all targeted by this group.

Whereas according to Mr Mende, government spokesman, the attackers at the state TV and radio headquarters had been armed with weapons such as knives, and there was "no chance of them even to maintain their positions, even for a single hour". This was a clear indication of continuous insecurity in Congo. No wonder this insecurity triumphantly entering Kinshasa though we popularly knew it as integral part of Kivu province

Since independence, there have never been a peaceful change of government. It is only through coups. So Kabila must know and prepare for his way out whether he want or not. Defeating M23 did not mean end of insurgency in DRC.

However he too can start a new era in the history of his country. He can relinquish power to another elected government after the end of his second term of office. This can be a starting for democracy in DRC.

His government can too turn DRC mineral resources into a development asset. He can for example start infrastructure development by constructing roads, schools hospitals and other social services that provide basic needs.

He must heavily invest in the security of the country given growth of rebel activities in his country. Why should his country’s security depend on UN innervation bridged for all years it has lived?.

  While crying for God’s help, Kabila must understand that he can forge a new DRC out of himself. If Mandela did it from a more complicated South Africa, then he too can.

The author is a bachelor degree of Journalism and Communication student at Makerere University