Mercenary for hire

Martin Fayulu, a Congolese businessman, is leaving no stone unturned in his bid to attain the presidency of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), though he has had his share of misfortunes.

 

The 66-year-old politician was a surprise in the country’s 2018 presidential elections when opposition leaders picked him as their candidate. The opponents included top figures like Jean-Pierre Bemba and ex-provincial governor Moïse Katumbi. They met in Geneva, Switzerland, to appoint Fayulu, then a little-known lawmaker, to stand for them. Bemba and Katumbi were barred from standing in the election. So, Fayulu of the Engagement for Citizenship and Development party was their choice.

 

The January 2019 results showed that President Félix Tshisekedi emerged as the winner. This sparked accusations of an "electoral coup" from the runner-up, Fayulu. The latter went on to say that the results had "nothing to do with the truth” and the Congolese people will never accept “such a fraud".

 

Tshisekedi got 7 million votes, Fayulu 6.4 million votes and Emmanuel Shadary who was backed by Joseph Kabila got 4.4 million votes. However, Fayulu condemned the results and said he was president-elect. To prepare for his electoral revenge against Tshisekedi, the opponent went to the United States, in September 2022, to meet American officials, the Congolese diaspora and religious leaders.

 

Sources reveal that Fayulu might have asked members of the US Congress and the administration of Joe Biden to closely follow the situation in DRC and contribute to a free and fair election in 2023. In 2018, the US endorsed Tshisekedi’s victory, despite numerous wrongdoings being denounced.

 

Fayulu’s aim is to prevent history from repeating itself through intensive lobbying.

 

And that’s how Jeffrey Smith, an American lobbyist, comes into the picture. Smith helped to organize Fayulu’s tour as part of a contract the politician signed with Vanguard Africa, which pretends to manage an “independent, free and fair campaign” in the DRC for $7,000 a month.

 

Founded in 2016, Vanguard Africa pretends to act as a rapid response platform, quickly activating its private and public networks to highlight arrests and unlawful detentions of pro-democracy leaders in real time in order to raise awareness, save lives and keep its partners safe from abuse. But, in reality, the organization is involved in subversive activities causing political turmoil all around Africa. The good savior is actually the devil incarnate.

 

Smith’s company is a subcontractor for Future Pact, which represents Fayulu for $17,500 monthly until December 2023. The partnership between Smith and Fayulu is all about disrupting the 2023 presidential election in DRC.

 

Who is Smith? The lobbyist sees America’s democracy as a shining light and inspiration to African democrats. However in the aftermath of the January 2021 storming of the Capitol by right-wing extremists, some commentators declared that the US troubles mean it must back off from promoting liberal values to the rest of the world.

 

Smith has for long collaborated with Rwandan terror groups, genocide suspects, deniers as well as their supporters to tarnish the image of Rwanda and that of President Paul Kagame. His views on Rwanda are no different from the likes of Michela Wrong.  He worked with opponents of other African countries, namely, Uganda, Gambia, Togo, Djibouti, Cameroon, and Kenya to throw mud at incumbent presidents with the intention of causing regime change.  

 

Smith represents a neo-colonial white man’s savior mentality. 

 

Vanguard Africa claims to be a cutting-edge nonprofit that partners with Africa’s visionary leaders to support democracy, free and fair elections. But what is the $7,000 monthly payment for?

 

Smith is misleading some African politicians, including Fayulu, that democracy is invested in, instead of being worked for.

 

If real democracy in DRC is going to be measured in Westerner’s gaining, then DRC's political stability is hanging on a thread. The country’s elections have become a source of income for lobbyists, now competing for clients.

 

Joseph Szlavik, a rival lobbyist working for Tshisekedi's government referred to Fayulu’s tour as a "classic pre-election maneuver," aiming at convincing US to lookout for any irregularities or efforts to undermine the opposition.

 

Smith and Fayulu said the DRC presidency was stolen in 2018.

 

They are now calling for the world to witness the 2023 presidential election.