07 Dec 2006: ISS Today: Congo`s Kabila Vows War on Graft, End to Violence

07 December 2006: Congo`s Kabila Vows War on Graft, End to Violence
Reuters AlertNet

Joseph Kabila took office on Wednesday as Congo`s first democratically elected president in over four decades, pledging to combat the corruption and violence that have crippled his resource-rich nation. Cheered by thousands of singing, dancing, flag-waving supporters, Kabila was sworn in during a colourful but heavily guarded ceremony in Kinshasa in the gardens of the presidential palace on the banks of the Congo river. The 35-year-old former guerrilla commander, who became the unelected leader of Democratic Republic of Congo in 2001 after his president father was assassinated, won a five-year mandate through the ballot box in a tense Oct. 29 presidential run-off. "A new page is opening up before us. I can see the Congo of tomorrow carrying the hopes of a renascent Africa at the dawn of this century with its great challenges," he said in a speech.

Commentary

In his speech on taking office, newly elected President Joseph Kabila promised good governance, democracy, respect for human rights and combatting corruption as the principles of his new government. The international community was quick to applaud the statement and promised to support the Congolese government in the post-conflict reconstruction period. Kabila also referred to what he called the “end of recreation” saying that the time had come to start the real work of reconstruction. Aside from all the technical work in terms of the building of institutions, the stimulation of the economy, the improvement of living conditions of the people, improvement of health care, education and infrastructure, the most challenging task that needs to be undertaken to give reconstruction, development and democratisation a chance is a change of mentality.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo faces the challenge of an unstable and difficult beginning. The first challenge that will happen immediately after the inauguration of the new president is of the utmost importance to ensure stability in the country. MONUC, FARDC, EUSEC and CONADER will now focus on an emergency plan to demobilise 44,000 combatants in the east of the DRC. These combatants are in the provinces of North Kivu, South Kivu and Katanga. They are all in informal formed units. Seven DDR units have been identified to go to the different locations and do the demobilisation process where the combatants are. The DDR teams will consist of 30 people representing all the role players. The people who want to be integrated into the FARDC will be transported to the Brassage Centres. It is foreseen that those who want to be integrated into the FARDC will be posted into the existing 14 Integrated Brigades. In Ituri province 6, 000 militia surrendered after a comprehensive agreement was signed with the last three militia groups. They will enter into transit centres during December 2006 and then go through a DDR process.  The last obstacle lies with the Presidential Guard and the protection element of Jean–Pierre Bemba. They still need to be demobilised. This, however, is a political decision and must be taken by the president and his newly appointed cabinet.

The second main challenge is the need for service delivery and state performance, which needs to be addressed radically and quickly. This includes institutions such as health, infrastructure, education and job creation. If the new government fails to deliver soon there is a danger of social unrest and protest, increased instability and potential violence. 

A force that can play a key role is that of a credible opposition. We know that Bemba has accepted the outcome of the elections and has indicated that he will take up his position as leader of the official opposition. If the political environment fails to give the opposition the opportunity to develop, the DRC may face a scenario followed by many countries in which the winner develops into the dominant party which for years is unchallenged, in elections as well as in parliament.

Henri Boshoff, African Security Analysis Programme, ISS Tshwane (Pretoria)