Best solution to crisis in eastern DRC is diplomacy; but Tshisekedi won’t budge

Author: Emma Mukasa

• 2023-08-31 04:49:00

The United Nations, regional and international leaders, several times, urged Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi to consider diplomatic solutions to end the insecurity in the eastern part of his country, emphasizing that it is the only way to lasting peace in the volatile region.

The call was reiterated by acting US Under Secretary of State Victoria Nuland following her visit to Kinshasa on August 2-3.

In a statement released on August 19, Nuland affirmed that “the best solution to the crisis in eastern DRC is diplomatic” and expressed her appreciation for the commitment of regional leaders through their mediation in the Luanda and Nairobi processes.

“These efforts have generated a roadmap for rapid progress toward a diplomatic and lasting solution.”

However, the clashes between M23 rebels and the Congolese Army, which followed the roadmap set by regional organizations in mid-2022, dashed the hopes and commitments to solving the problem diplomatically.

Among the key resolutions of the Luanda and Nairobi peace processes is cessation of hostilities, withdrawal of M23 from occupied positions, defeating FDLR and its splinter groups, creating the necessary conditions for the return of refugees, and fighting hate speech.

Kinshasa threw all these agreements into the dustbin and did the opposite: attacking M23 and forcing them to defend themselves, denying the withdrawal of the rebels, accusing the EAC regional forces of collaborating with M23, heavily arming the FDLR, and fueling hate speech against Congolese Tutsi.

Surprisingly, the Congolese government is the one playing the victim, claiming to be aggressed by neighboring Rwanda, which it accuses of supporting M23. Kigali has denied the accusation and urged Kinshasa to look at the M23 problem through the lens of an internal problem and address it accordingly. 

Tshisekedi persistently refused to negotiate with the M23 and stuck to using military means to deal with the issue. The latter move is ineffective and unlikely to solve the insecurity crisis in eastern DRC.

Analysts say that no matter what regional or international leaders will do, Tshisekedi will not offer anything to the M23 in an election year. Dialogue with the rebels will deny him votes and earn him criticism by his opponents for bending to, allegedly, foreign interests.

During his presidential campaign in 2018, Tshisekedi promised the Congolese to do everything possible to bring security to eastern DRC. But he failed to honor his campaign pledge yet he is seeking a second term in the presidential elections expected in December.

There are two ways to stay in power.

One is to become popular by doing the work you promised to do. The other is to be strategic. Tshisekedi already lost the first one. His only way out is gaining popularity by accusing Rwanda and M23 of being the problem of DRC because that’s what the Congolese want to hear.

Tshisekedi has nothing to help him win the hearts and minds of Congolese in the coming elections. As such, he opted to portray Rwanda as the cause of his failures; trying to convince Congolese that ‘he did his best but a bad neighbor ruined his plans’.

In his speeches, whether at international meetings, regional summits, sports events, economic meetings, or visits to another country, Tshisekedi cannot forget to mention that his country was aggressed by Rwanda, or that M23 is to blame for all the insecurity in eastern DRC.

Tshisekedi’s refusal to negotiate with the M23 but instead brand them as “terrorists” only complicates the peace process, and prolongs the war and suffering of the people in eastern DRC.

In simple terms, Tshisekedi sacrificed the peace of eastern DRC people to gain popularity so that he could win the December elections – if at all they are conducted.