[Francophones] Je transfère cet article tel qu'il est en Anglais publié par un quotidien de Kigali "New Times".

[Bishop Venuste Mutiganda]

Tuesday, 28th October 2008
    

  
  
    Kabila axes Foreign and Defence ministers
  
  
    

  
  
    BY KENNEDY NDAHIRO
  
  
    DRC
President Joseph Kabila, Monday fired his Defence minister, Tchikez
Diemu and demoted his minister of Foreign Affairs, Mbusa Nyamwisi, over
what is believed to be linked to the serious military setbacks by the
government army (FARDC) in the eastern part of the country. The
changes come at a time when FARDC lost ground and a major military
base, Rumangabo, to rebels of the National Congress for the Defence of
the People (CNDP) led by Gen. Laurent Nkunda. Diemu was replaced
by Charles Mwando Nsimba, also from the ruling People's Party for
Reconstruction and Democracy (PPRD) while Nyamwisi, who was given the
lowly ministry of decentralization, was replaced by Justice Luzolo
Bambi Lesa. Most of the key ministries remained in the hands of Kabila’s PPRD. While
Tchikez Diemu was not given any other appointment, observers believe
Mbusa’s was a polite demotion because he had failed to rally the
international community on the side of the government in his war
against Nkunda. A Congolese high school teacher, who did not
want his identity revealed, but who comes from the same tribe as Mbusa
Nyamwisi – the Nande¬ – explained that Kabila could not afford to lose
Nyamwisi at this time because the latter enjoys wide support in his
home region North Kivu. “Kabila has been clipping his wings
slowly. First he was the ministre d’état (super minister), then he was
made a simple minister of Foreign Affairs,” said the teacher. Another
source in Goma said that the firing of Tchikez Diemu, one of the
Kinshasa hawks who were rooting for a military solution, does not
change the war logic. “If the reshuffle Kabila made was a change
of direction – to seek a peaceful settlement – then he should have
replaced extremist commanders like Kayembe deputy regional brigade
commander, Jonas Padiri and David Rugayi. I think he is digging in,” he
said. Meanwhile Monday afternoon the rebels were just 16km from Goma as fighting was reported in Kibumba. Rebel
sources also said the government army (FARDC) and their FDLR (Rwandan
rebel group) allies clashed with CNDP at Biruma, Katale, Bushenge,
Rumangabo and Rugali.  Four of the five government positions fell into the hands of the rebels. CNDP spokesman, Bertrand Bisimwa said that the FARDC had fled leaving the fighting to FDLR.  He
claimed MONUC was patrolling close to the FDLR positions and were
preparing to give the Rwandan armed group air and artillery support to
regain the lost ground. “We were very surprised to see MONUC
patrolling close to FDLR. We will not take it down if the UN forces
side with the genocidal forces,” Bisimwa warned, without explaining
what CNDP would do if their suspicions came to be true. 


      
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