Mission Impossible - as I see it!!!

Joseph Kabila vs Etienne Tshisekedi

I may be called pessimistic, for having used the word impossible but for someone who lives around this mission, I can’t see it any other way.

I had been fervently looking forward to DRC2011, as the elections are referred to, just the 2nd democratic elections in a Country that has fought back-to-back civil wars, a Country that sits at the bottom of the UN’s development index, a Country that is also rich to the brim with copper, cobalt, diamonds and gold. My excitement emanates from my desire to experience the process in a new format, as an expat, to see how different they are from the elections back home, understand the protocol, the promises they hold, how charismatic and iniquitous the politicians can be and the whole nine yards. Must say they have exceeded every expectation I had etched in my mind in terms of an adventure but this is the story of a Country in turmoil, a very sad painful story indeed.

I can’t count how many times in the past 20 months I have said, I feel safe and secure in Lubumbashi, how quiet and peaceful my home is, even during the election pandemonium, not much has changed, thanks in part to Lubumbashi being the President’s bastion. I don’t feel fear, not even when people talk of how gory it could get. To me these stories are a thing of the past, never to ensue again. When friends said, I should pack a suitcase, witticism took over and I immediately checked into my shoe and bag closet. What should I carry with me? Even before I made my decision, I thought of my jewellery (nothing precious), yet very precious to me. Will I have space for my clothes? I was jolted back to reality and I said, “No, am not packing anything”. I will cross the bridge when I come to it. Brave words? No!!! I truly feel safe and secure. Nothing is as important as life, so if I have to flee, I will, memories cannot be replaced but material things can. However, I refuse to live with fear, like I mentioned in an earlier blog, “Every man dies, not every man lives”.

I feel part of a Bond movie when a hideout is planned with the others in our group, in the event of a calamity. I did have a question, “Why would they attack an independent house with a couple of inmates instead of a large building, which provides shelter to more than just a couple?”  I am not being sarcastic, it is a genuine question. There is a new gadget in the house, another toy for the boy, a ‘walkie talkie’ as they call it.  P immediately gets down to his 007 ways, giving it a thorough inspection and calling a couple of people in his newly acquired baritone voice, while I think of the cliché, “Men never grow up”. A policeman is appointed to guard our property. I feel absolute dislike for the man and his gun. He sleeps away all day and night and I definitely don’t want to be the one to wake him up. The Policeman’s alibi, his substitute seems more energetic. Unfortunately he gets punched in the eye while dodging a few opposition supporters. Poor man, his bloody eye is a cause for a lot of pain, so much for being armed. His uniform did him in, I reckon. His employers do nothing for him, not even food is provided. We send him to the company hospital for treatment and am happy, he was responding well to it. If not for my own health issues, I might have considered going out to experience the silence surrounding the mammoth event, am sure most people would call me cocky but it truly makes me happy that for once am letting life embrace me and not the other way around.

D day arrives, security forces hold fort, seemingly to protect, makeshift military camps scare the living daylights out of people, despite that,  a few incidents are reported in Lubumbashi, I still believe there's nothing to worry about. The city is muffled the rest of the day, not many people are lurking around, they cast their votes and get back to the comfort of their homes. The capital, Kinshasa witnesses a lot more, my heart goes out to those who have made the place their home, an opposition bastion with the republican guards ruling the roost. We do not have newspapers and local TV at home, not that we would understand much from the visuals, the language is still alien to us. I resort to Twitter, a forum I visit sporadically. I cannot stress how significant the forum has become ever since. News travels faster than lightening, directly from journalists, experts, patriots, self proclaimed freedom fighters, from within and outside, all crying foul at the loopholes that could swallow the Country on their own.  What Twitter has done for the elections is unparalleled.

The Country falls silent as counting begins, people in Lubumbashi are confident that the incumbent President, Joseph Kabila would win, as confident as those in Kinshasa who believe Etienne Tshisekedi the main opposition leader would become the new President. Reports are already rife that irregularities are hard to ignore, was expected but not the extent of it. The opposition has called for the elections to be annulled after widespread reports of rigging, fictitious voting booths, marked ballot papers and missing names. A large number of people have not received their voting cards in time, including my housekeeper who leaves early from work every day for two weeks to chase after CENI (Commission Electorale Nationale Independante RD Congo) officials for a voting card. She is turned away by security personnel every day, in the end she is unable to exercise her right to vote. She looks for cover whenever she spots a hint of a policeman, those along with military personnel are the most menacing she informs, fears they would harass her for not possessing a card, despite her best efforts. Crucify her for trying to exercise her civic right and duty. Their right to vote has been robbed by faceless people, they claim, ballot papers strewn all over, flying around like waste paper, buried under the slush from the rains, many just left to decay around the warehouse where counting goes on at a feverish pace. People wait with bated breath, most are sure of what to expect, those with divergent views haven’t lost hope for their candidates either. While the counting goes on, voters in some remote areas are still voting and waiting to vote.

The day the provinsional results are to be announced, the Country is on its edge, the electorate praying for its candidates and for a better future, the security forces waiting to pounce on anyone who dares to raise his voice in disapproval and opposition candidates ready with their call for annulment. Official reports indicate 18 people have died from post-election violence, and excesses by republican guards continue in opposition territories. Unofficial reports have put the figure way up, with bodies being carried away in trucks after dark. All in vain, it is announced at the end of the day that the results would be delayed by 48 hours. The delay is blamed on logistic problems, consequentially the delay in computing results. No one is more disappointed than I am, what a tame end to one of my most exhilarating days in Lubumbashi so far. I refuse to sleep till I know for sure. When journalists from Kinshasa confirm, I hit the bed.

The delay has been welcomed by the opposition, a small consolation for their call of fraud. With the constitutional deadline not having met with, there is talk that the incumbent President can’t hold office anymore. While the media and other wise men speculate, common sense prevails; he will hold office till the official announcement is made on the elections. I talk to my staff about what the dreams are for themselves. They are actively behind their man, President Kabila but also reveal they hope this term is about change, better infrastructure, some 'freebies' in school, better health facilities, the basics really, of water, power and transport. I also add better education for them, so they understand the larger the family is, tighter their purse strings are. I did try my bit to educate them about family planning earlier, what I got in return, “Children come from above”. I had to rest my case. They call Etienne Tshisekedi a tyrant, a man who still carries Mobuto's torch; they want none of the remnants. They love and hero worship their President for his quiet demeanour, the man who looks dapper in his crisp business suits, the man who has made peace with the 9 neighbours DR Congo has, the man who they say holds a candle for them. Fingers crossed!!!

I learn early that the results are expected at 11am, this time my excitement is muted. I get my ‘twitter’ on and I sit glued with my laptop, journalists say all concerned are in attendance at the CENI office in Kinshasa except the protagonist. Time passes by; impatience is swapped with some good humour and funny anecdotes. Finally it is informed that the Election Commission Chief, Pastor Daniel Ngoy Mulunda who is expected to announce the results is off for an extended lunch. Wonder what he ate ahead of his finest hour. He starts his speech by mentioning all the helping hands, delegates, the dignitaries, the observers, the workers, the staff, the list is not complete, he goes on and on. Mid way he decides to distribute DVDs to those present, supposedly containing the verdict, very innovative but would he kindly announce, people have other things to do. After almost an hour he starts announcing them, province by province. He is most certainly enjoying his 15 minutes of fame. Finally…the winner is announced, "The President of the Country…is…Joseph Kabila with 49% votes, with Etienne Tshisekedi coming in second at 32%".  Albeit expected, there was still an air of anticipation for Tshisekedi from his trusted lieutenants.

The final announcement is a damp squib after all the animation and adventure the elections take us through. Kinshasa is stunned to silence while Lubumbashi erupts with the Presidential Guard firing in the air in honour of their hero and streets filling with noisy celebrations, car horns, singing and dancing. What a celebration on one end and what sadness on the other! Incidents of violence are reported from Kinshasa and other opposition territories, clashes between protesters and security forces are on. While Etienne Tshisekedi and his supporters call the elections a farce, President Kabila prefers silence to speech.

In the immediate aftermath, Etienne Tshisekedi has announced that he is the new President, in his estimate he has won with 53% of the votes to Joseph Kabila’s 26%. While he has refused to file a petition in the Supreme Court against the verdict, his rival in the elections and now his ally Vital Kamerhe has filed an appeal, to declare the elections null and void. Not much has been said by the International community before or after the elections this time around, as compared to the 2006 elections. The Carter Charter, which supervises the elections has pointed out that irregularities are rampant but there could not have been a change in the winner, the lead of 3 million is the justification. It is common knowledge that the International community favours Joseph Kabila for obvious reasons; Etienne Tshisekedi is a populist leader within the Country but is known as a ruffian outside.

While we hang on for the results to be officially announced on the 17th, all of us  know who is going to be crowned, the Supreme Court justices are Kabila loyalists afterall. However, one can be rest assured that the opposition will protest and take to the streets. While Tshisekedi has called for calm, he has also declared openly that a North African kind of uprising might be called for by his supporters as a result of the disappoitment, following the elections.

While Joseph Kabila is an astute politician at 40 with a sharp business acumen, one must understand that he has been trained for war, is no rabbit when it comes down to it, one must also remember that  Etienne Tshisekedi, although a seasoned politician at 78, known as a loud mouthed tug, always ready to fight for his Countrymen, is no Robin Hood.

Nothing can prepare us for this one, come what may!!!