Exiled former CENI president Corneille Nangaa has disclosed that three African presidents were part of a scheme that rigged the 2018 presidential election in favour of UDPS leader Felix Tshisekedi.
Although Nangaa does not name the three head of states, sources within former president Joseph Kabila’s entourage have disclosed that the three are South Africa’s Cyril Ramaphosa, Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya and Egypt’s Abdel Fattah El-Sisi.
Nangaa made the bombshell revelations at the weekend in reaction to President Felix Tshisekedi’s statement on the sidelines of the 2023 United Nations General Assembly in New York that he was legitimately elected and challenged all those with a contrary view to come forth with evidence.
President Tshisekedi said on September 19, 2023, “I won the elections [in 2018], anyone who says otherwise must show proof. I never signed an agreement with Joseph Kabila, ask Raymond Tshibanda and Néhémie Mwilanya because they are alive, they were the first to contact me after the vote of December 31, 2018.”
But Nangaa, who was president of the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI), issued a statement and rubbished Tshisekedi’s statement says there was an agreement that was designed for a bloodless transfer of power to foster stability in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
“The political agreement “AGREEMENT FOR THE STABILITY OF THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO” was certified and validated by three (3) African Heads of State – with the status recognized by both parties – who congratulated it on the fact that it (Agreement) enabled the first bloodless transfer of power in the DRC,” said Nangaa, adding; “I am one of the co-editors [of the agreement]. This unalterable agreement was signed in front of witnesses, by President TSHISEKEDI and his predecessor [Joseph Kabila].”
He said President Tshisekedi should desist from lying about the power transfer of 2018.
“By his assertions contrary to the truth which he holds and which he knows in his intimate conviction, President Félix Tshisekedi has deliberately chosen the path of untruths on a historical fact of great significance. He just lied and he knows it,” he said.
Rather, Nangaa urges President Tshisekedi to be grateful to the former President of the DRC, Joseph Kabila, for structuring a deal that has kept him in office and should now prepare to exit office in December when he loses the polls.
“About 90 days before the irreversible expiration of his mandate, President Tshisekedi made the intentional choice of a long flight thinking of deceiving public opinion by denying the existence of a political agreement which he concluded with his predecessor. It was an agreement of which he knows full well that the main clause binds him. He can only draw all the consequences as the December 20 deadline approaches,” Nangaa added.
“By losing his composure on such a sensitive matter in front of the public who came to listen to him in New York, Mr.Tshisekedi has desecrated the function of President of the Republic and reduced it to its simplest expression which definitively discredits him and disqualifies him from competing in the presidential election.”
Sources in Kabila’s FCC confirmed the presence of Ramaphosa, Al Sisi and Kenyatta in striking a deal that ensured bloodless transfer of power with Kabila elevated to life Senator. The document has never been circulated but Nangaa and many other officials in Kabila’s government have made mention at public events of its existence.
In 2018, opposition Ecide leader Martin Fayulu won the polls with about 65% of the vote per observers and the Catholics CENCO monitors while Tshisekedi was in distant third at about 15% with then ruling party candidate Emmanuel Shadary finishing third with about 11% of the votes. The results were delayed for over a month with internet cut to avoid protests.
Fayulu contested the outcome in the Constitutional Court but still lost. He has insisted that the election was stolen from him in 2018. He is due to hold a press briefing this afternoon.
SOME WITNESSES OF THE DEAL ARE RECORDED HERE
PART OF NANGAA’S STATEMENT
