During the recent comedy of an interview President Felix Tshisekedi held with his spokesperson, he said he was not a dictator. In his words, Tshisekedi says if he was a dictator some people currently in the country will not be here.What nonsense is this? What does Tshisekedi think Congo is to him? His bedroom or his pit-latrine? In case Tshisekedi is so drunk with power that he has forgotten he was a pizza delivery driver in Belgium not too long ago, he needs some reminders.
Mr. President! You are Head of State today because an arrangement was made for you to hold the position in trust on behalf of the Congolese. Anyone who identifies as Congolese has every right to be in our country. So, don’t cheat yourself that it takes your decree for people to enjoy their space. If that’s the case, you are a dictator and we don’t make no apology because that’s what you as you are infringing on individual human rights to satisfy your ego.
Tshisekedi must know that Congo does not belong to his late father Etienne neither is it a kitchen for his mother, mama Marthe or his wife Denis Nyakeru. Congo is our country. We all belong here and have right to associate with anyone. We also have a right to assemble anywhere. We have a right to free movement.
But in just four years, Tshisekedi has made it impossible for us to enjoy the basic human rights. He has degenerated at a rate faster than the cruel dictator Mobutu Sese Seko did. By associating with those Tshisekedi does not agree with, we have become criminals in our own country.
That is why we are not surprised that he is the new Mobutu. Perhaps, Mobutu was his mentor. After all, his father was present and supported the massacre of four ministers who opposed Mobutu. They were executed in public with the late Etienne probably grinning.
Look at the number of his personal prisoners. Tshisekedi ordered the arrest of opposition leader Moise Katumbi’s special advisor Salomon Kalonda. In addition to arresting Salomon, Tshisekedi has also gone for Franck Diongo, an opposition leader associated with Katumbi. He has also arrested Mike Mukebay, an MP, on allegations of inciting tribal hatred.
Yet chief tribalists like Augustine Kabuya is roaming the streets even when he insults other tribes and incites violence against them.
Since May 30, 2023 and on instructions from Tshisekedi, the military intelligence have been holding Salomon for alleged possession of weapons and plotting a coup d’état in addition to accusations he was colluding with Rwanda and the M23. As ridiculous as this sounds, they are exactly the mondus operandi of a student of Mobutu.
Before arresting Salomon, Tshisekedi, in his ungrateful style thew out of UDPS Jean Marc Kabund. He went for his military chiefs and senior security advisers like Fortunat Biselele, who was a confidant, and François Beya, one of his kitchen cabinet members.
Our focus today is the manner Tshisekedi is using state powers to abuse his opponents. It’s despicable to see how he is treating Salomon. We ask him to look at his daughters in their eyes and imagine how Salomon’s children are feeling right now. We ask Tshisekedi to look at his mother and imagine how Salomon’s mother is feeling right now.
What Tshisekedi is doing to Salomon, Mukebayi, Diongo and Leo Omelonga and others is the exact thing dictators do to their opponents. We want to remind Tshisekedi that Laurent Gbagbo in Cote d’Ivoire thought he could be in power for ever. He thought he can use Ivorite and punish others like Alasane Quattara.
Tshisekedi must take time to follow the events in Cote d’Ivoire. His days are truly numbered. The seeds of discord he is sowing will haunt him and the dynasty he has created with his brothers. Tshisekedi will do himself a huge favour to release Salomon and others unconditionally because the charges against them are politically motivated and useless to say the least.
Tshisekedi should not wait to leave Congo like Mobutu did and eventually die a lonely death. He has an opportunity to redeem himself. He must do the right thing and stop sowing seeds of anarchy and chaos.
