Is Joseph Kabila's new cabinet the road to peace?

Apr 17, 2001

CONGOLESE leader has dropped key figures and kinsmen who formed his late father's kitchen cabinet. What is the significance of his reshuffle?

By Emmy Allio CONGOLESE leader has dropped key figures and kinsmen who formed his late father's kitchen cabinet. What is the significance of his reshuffle? His father, Laurent Kabila assassinated on January 16, was surrounded by kinsmen and friends who formed an inner-circle of hard-liners in his administration. Joe proved he was not living in the shadow of his father when he dropped powerful figures that controlled his father. Among those dropped was the Yerodia Abdoulaye, information minister and former foreign affairs minister, the man who said Uganda and Rwanda must quit Congo, if Kinshasa government is to implement any part of the Lusaka agreement. Kabila dropped his uncle, Gaetan Kakudji, the interior minister, the previously No.2 in Congo, who was seen as a possible successor to the assassinated president before Joe was named. He is believed to be the man who controlled issues behind the scenes and represents Belgium interests. Even Dominique Sakombi, Communication minister, is dropped. He is believed to be an able spin-doctor who played the right propaganda soon after Laurent Kabila was assassinated. He kept the international community guessing about the fate of Kabila. He is known as a real hard-liner often paying mere tip service to the peace process. But it remains to be seen whether the reshuffle will put to an end to the worrying developments in Kinshasa, where Zimbabwean and Angolans have been involved in a struggle to control Joe. There has been in-fighting in Joseph Kabila's government based on the interests of Belgians, Zimbabwe and Angola. This rivalry has catalysed the decade old mistrust between Kabila's Balubakat tribe and the Lunda, the tribe of slain Kabila's mother. Several key figures arrested in connection with the Laurent Kabila's assassination are from the Angolan-backed Lunda tribe who form the bulk of the "Tigers." The struggle for who controls Kinshasa is apparently more economically than politically motivated. There is struggle between the Belgian and Zimbabwean interests over the giant copper and cobalt mines in Katanga. The Zimbabwe Independent said Zambabwean security who now form part Joe's bodyguards also form part of the investigation team. Before Kabila was killed, Angolans supervised security in Kinshasa, but now Zimbabwe has taken over that role. The biggest losers in this reshuffle is Angola with their strongmen in security in jail or belittled and Zimbabwe's firm hand on Joe is seen with the rise of Mwenze Kongolo, former Justice minister becoming the head of National security and public order. Mwenze is from Kabila's Balubakat tribe seen as Zimbabwe's man and moderate who prefers the peace process. Leonard She Okitundu, the Foreign affairs minister from the late Congolese prime minister Patrice Lumumba's Tetela tribe is a rising figure who is said to have preferred the peace process. In the overall, the new cabinet reflects well on Joe and a success for the peace process. What remains to be seen is how Angola and the Tigers will receive the news. Ends

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