Ever since Félix Tshisekedi became President of the Democratic Republic of Congo, in January 2019, he was unable to govern or even appoint a new Prime Minister in the first six months of his term.

Former President Joseph Kabila's 'Front Commun pour le Congo' (FCC) coalition still had muscle and especially controlled the National Assembly and Senate.

 

After a power struggle saw the coalition with allies of Tshisekedi's predecessor break down, in April 2021, Tshisekedi formally ended his two-year coalition with Kabila when prime minister Sama Lukonde formed a new government. Kabila’s allies were ousted. This is the origin of the political turbulence happening now in Kinshasa.

 

Even if Tshisekedi managed to put aside Kabila’s influence in political decisions, he doesn’t have influence in the military establishment created and reformed by Kabila who led the country for 18 years.

 

Tshisekedi struggled to establish himself in a security apparatus where he lacks networks of influence. Little by little, he tries to regain control by placing trusted men in the army. To carry out this delicate work, the Head of State relies on Maj Gen Franck Buamunda Ntumba, Tshisekedi's military adviser, whose methods are considered somewhat "abrupt" in the military ranks.

 

Tshisekedi seeks to dismiss the Chief of Staff of the FARDC, General Célestin Mbala, also accused of still being loyal to Kabila.

 

General Ghislain Tshinkobo Mulamba

To sideline this general, who is old enough to be retired, Tshisekedi established a parallel military command in his office which is in charge of management of the state of the siege in the eastern Provinces of Ituri and North Kivu, among other things.  The choice of the two military governors of North Kivu and Ituri was imposed on the Army Chief of Staff, Gen Celestin Mbala.

 

Gen Mbala is sidelined and acts as a spectator, in the management of the state of siege, military and diplomatic sources have told The Great Lakes Eye.

 

Power struggles within the Congolese armed forces and in security organs in general, are rife. François Beya, the president’s security advisor, was arrested, on February 5, on suspicion of undermining state security. Beya who worked with Kabila for more than 10 years  was accused of favouring the former head of state. He was suspected of treachery by Tshisekedi’s entourage.

 

Francois Beya

While Tshisekedi was in New York accusing Rwanda, things escalated within the FARDC High Command where the army is increasingly divided between his loyalists and those loyal to Kabila.

 

Lately, Lt Gen Philémon Yav, one of the key generals of the Congolese military in the east of the country was arrested. The commander of the third defense zone (five Provinces including North and South Kivu) and military operations in North Kivu was first recalled to Kinshasa on the orders of Tshisekedi’s military advisor, Maj Gen Franck Buamunda Ntumba. He was interrogated, before being imprisoned in Makala prison. Three other officers were also heard, before being released. At the same time, 75 soldiers loyal to Gen Yav, in Goma, were not allowed to carry heavy weapons.

  Lt Col Yav Ilunga

There is also the case of Major General Peter Nkuba Cirimwami, the operational commander in Ituri. This high-ranking officer may also be arrested after Gen Yav. He was interrogated together with his deputy commander in the Province of Haut-Uele. Gen Cirimwami was accused of collaborating with the FDLR while operating in North Kivu to fight the M23. This was before the M23 rebels took Bunagana. This general was then moved to Ituri.

 

Maj Gen Franck Buamunda Ntumba

For some soldiers, this arrest is only a pretext to justify the failure of the state of siege and the Congolese army’s failure to retake Bunagana.

 

The arrest, in North Kivu, of Colonel Augustin Kahombo Ambo, is another pointer to the dangerous situation. He was suspected of poisoning a General Ghislain Tshinkobo Mulamba, the former army chief in North Kivu who died in August.

 

The former leader of the presidential party, the Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS), Jean-Marc Kabund, in July, launched his political party to oppose Tshisekedi. This was a few months after he was ousted from his position as Vice-President of the National Assembly.

 

Jean Marc Kabunda

Five months after his disgrace, Kabund held a press conference to break the silence on his political future after being ousted from the vice-presidency of the National Assembly and the head of the presidential party, the Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS).

 

"It's over, there is nothing more to hope for with President Tshisekedi and the UDPS which have failed. The power in place is incapable. I ask the people to mobilize to drive Felix Tshisekedi out of power,” he told the press.

 

The accusations of Kabund towards Tshisekedi include corruption. On September 15, videos were leaked to the media showing Vidiye Tshimanga, the special strategic advisor to Tshisekedi, offering unlimited access to mineral riches of the country in exchange of bribes and kickbacks, includiing  shares in the companies and underhand paybacks, for himself and the president. The video exposed the real image of Tshisekedi’s governance.

 

Vidiye Tshimanga

Tshisekedi’s first term in office expires in 2023, with his failures higher than his accomplishments.  He has to look for someone else to blame.  And that is why he spent more than half of his speech time during the 77^th UN General Assembly talking about Rwanda and accusing it of being at the helm of insecurity in his country.