EngRegional
Adolphe Muzito: Another nail in DRC’s coffin
With
the Democratic Republic of the Congo Presidential election set for December 20,
if nothing changes, the Congolese will choose a leader to head their chaotic
and impoverished, yet mineral-rich, country. Though the exact
number of candidates is not yet known, the contenders to run for president started
their campaign trails.
Former Prime Minister Adolphe Muzito, former DRC presidential
candidate Martin Fayulu, a gynecologist and winner of the 2018 Nobel Peace
Prize, Dr Denis Mukwege, and the current Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi, have
already showed their eagerness to run.
None of them speaks out on the development and
welfare of the Congolese people who, for decades, experienced the bitterness of
conflicts and poverty as a result of incompetent,
divisive and greedy leaders.
Instead of campaigning on the unity, peace and development
manifesto platform, as well as proposing a solution to end the 30 years of
hostilities in eastern DRC, all presidential candidates are playing the cards of
‘waging
war’ against Rwanda so as to win over Congolese
hearts, and votes. It is a shame.
They never skip the “wage war on Rwanda” sentence in their
speeches, statements and press releases. Kigali has turned into their
scapegoat for all the misfortunes of DRC.
For
Congolese, their next president should be the person with the most antagonistic
plans against Rwanda, instead of the one who aspires to change their lives for
the better.
During
an interview with TV5 Monde regarding his candidacy in presidential elections,
on April 23, Muzito reiterated that Rwanda is the only reason behind the
current insecurity in eastern DRC and that the latter cannot negotiate with
Rwanda.
“We
believe that we must wage a war against Rwanda and push them back to their
territory," Muzito insisted.
It
is not the first time that Muzito made remarks that call on DRC citizens to
attack Rwanda. In December 2019, during a press conference, as the leader of
DRC’s opposition LAMUKA coalition (his party abandoned the coalition in April
2023), he suggested that in order “to put an end to the current situation of
insecurity in the east of the DRC we must wage war on Rwanda, occupy Rwanda and
ultimately annex Rwanda to the DRC.”
He
repeated the same words in October 2022, when he endorsed 10 recommendations
“to win the war against Rwanda”. Muzito recommended for DRC, among others, to
“not negotiate with Rwanda, even less with the M23, but with their masters
(Westerners); cancel all agreements signed with Rwanda; denounce and suspend
the accession of the DRC to the Community of East African States, and mobilize
the people against this war of Rwandan aggression, throughout the national
territory to block the way to the occupier.”
Muzito
also requested the construction of a separation wall between the DRC and
Rwanda.
Advancing
the anti-Rwanda agenda will never benefit the Congolese. It only increases
xenophobia and discrimination among citizens, which leads to disputes among
Congolese security forces, and the formation of rebel groups.
Unlike
Muziko, skilled politicians know that war is not a solution to any problem but a
problem itself. War leads to loss of lives both civilians and soldiers, catastrophes,
destruction, and a myriad of other problems. The DRC situation is a perfect
example.
For
almost 30 years now, the eastern part of the country is a war zone.
More
than 130 armed groups wreak havoc in the region, and are threatening the peace
and security of DRC and neighboring countries.
Instead
of learning from history, promoting peace and diplomatic negotiation to put an
end to war, Muzito is advancing the opposite. He is digging a grave for his
country’s people, not Rwanda as many Congolese think.
