Regional
Mercenary for hire
Of Jeffrey Smith and Martin Fayulu’s disruption of democracy
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.