Exiled former Democratic Republic of Congo Army Commander under Joseph Kabila, General John Numbi, has broken his silence and warned President Felix Tshisekedi against taking the country towards a “bloody path”.
In a video statement widely circulated on social media on Saturday night, General Numbi says Tshisekedi is today like an unconscious person playing with fire in a powder magazine.
“The next elections will be the fire that will embrace the powder keg,” General Numbi said in a fiery statement full of accusations directed at the presidency.
General Numbi is believed to be in exile either in Zimbabwe or South Africa where efforts by Tshisekedi to extradite him for alleged human rights abuses during president Joseph Kabila’s reign have failed.
Tshisekedi has reportedly reached out to South African President Cryril Ramaphosa and Zimbabwean leader Emerson Mnangagwa to help them return Numbi to Kinshasa but with no success.
The Tshisekedi regime believes Numbi has also been orchestrating a coup from his base as he remains one of the most feared, respected and influential officials from the Kabila regime.
Numbi further affirmed speculation that Tshisekedi did not win the 2018 election but was only awarded power by Kabila through an agreement he has refused to honor.
The General is the second high profile witness of the power sharing deal to make the secret arrangement public after former Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) president Corneille Nangaa spilled the beans a few weeks ago.
General Numbi says Tshisekedi should be aware that in the same way power was given to him, it can also be taken away from him.
“As much as we gave him power, we are capable of taking it back from him,” he said.
General Numbi added that Tshisekedi, whom he describes as a joker on an adventure, does not have the right to represent himself.
General Numbi also said he was against politicians who agreed to participate in the December 20, 2023 elections and will not recognize the outcome as it was not inclusive.
“… Tshisekedi lost all legitimacy by renouncing the agreement which allowed him to access power. Tshisekedi is today like an unconscious person playing with fire…”
General Numbi says Tshisekedi’s presidency was characterized by anti-values and evils that had eroded the sanctity of the constitution.
General Numbi cited some of the vices eroding the integrity of the Democratic Republic of Congo as institutionalized corruption, excessive tribalism, predation of wealth, political assassinations such as that of Ensemble pour la République spokesperson Chérubin Okende, state crimes in Katanga and the east of the Republic where civilians are massacred at the direction of the Head of State.
General Numbi says the strength of the Congolese army had been weakening under Tshisekedi as it had also not been spared from tribalism in which Kasaïs, the president’s tribesmates, were unduly advantaged much to the frustration of junior ranks.
General Numbi’s statement adds to the fears of a potentially explosive period in the DRC especially if the election outcome will be disputed and considered rigged.
Former president Kabila and his FCC constituency have refused to take part in the electoral process citing irregularities in the composition of CENI and the Constitutional Court.
WATCH THE VIDEO BY GENERAL JOHN NUMBI
