EngRegional
Tshisekedi’s incapacity to control ruling party highlights his leadership failures
Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi pictured addressing UN General Assembly.
Internal wrangles among the
leaders of the ruling UDPS party in the Democratic Republic of Congo have
reached a peak but President Felix Tshisekedi is silently observing from a
distance, unconcerned, as divisions in his political party stretch to mobilization
for hostilities.
Since the beginning of the
year, there were differences in UDPS’ top officials. The situation was worsened
by the dismissal of party Secretary General Augustin Kabuya in early August,
when he was temporarily replaced by Deo Bizibu Balola who was serving as his
deputy in charge of political and administrative issues.
The past eight months have
seen the former two top leaders of UDPS disagreeing on every decision.
While Kabuya was accused of
incompetence, corruption, and nepotism, UDPS insiders say that Tshisekedi is
unhappy with him because of his comments on addressing what is really happening
in eastern DRC.
Kabuya said that Tshisekedi’s
incompetence led to the deterioration of the conflict in the east.
Replacing Kabuya with Bizibu
who originates from Bukavu, South Kivu Province, is calculated by Tshisekedi as
a means to win hearts and minds in eastern DRC where the President has
constantly failed to restore security.
As Bizibu readies to take the
wheels of the party, on August 10, Kabuya has prepared his armada of fighters
to combat for control of UDPS headquarters at 10th Limete Street, in Kinshasa.
People in DRC’s capital are in
panic over a possible deadly confrontation between the two antagonists.
Tshisekedi is sowing chaos to
cover his incompetence. Sources say that Tshisekedi plotted for Kabuya’s
dismissal two months earlier. However, it was announced by UDPS’ Democratic
Convention without any visible indication that the president was in the
decision.
Even as tensions escalate
between pro-Kabuya and pro-Bizibu members of the UDPS, Tshisekedi remains
silent.
This begs one more question:
how would Tshisekedi deliver his promises to the Congolese citizens when he is
even unable to settle the escalating disputes within his own party?
It is safe to say that
Tshisekedi is gaining from the prolonged chaos within UDPS. The president
creates every situation that would divert public attention from his failures.
He is very criticized for failing to solve the security crisis in eastern DRC
after more than five years in office.
Regional observers believe
that Tshisekedi’s continued silence on disputes between Kabuya and Bizibu
supporters is likely to cause violence in Kinshasa, with his knowledge.
