** Joseph Kabila: A former president in the face of the test of political rhetoric and the Congolese maze **
The former president of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Joseph Kabila, recently spoke about the political spectrum of his country during a meeting in Johannesburg. His rejection of the accusations binding him to the rebellion of the M23 only rejects an old catchphrase in the Congolese political landscape: the struggle for the control of the narrative. Kabila, in an energetic declaration, described these allegations as “unfounded” and asked for proofs from her detractors. A legitimate request, but which also raises the question of what the truth really means in a society where disinformation and propaganda intertwine in such a complex way.
### The roots of a historic crisis
To understand the impact of Kabila’s words, it is necessary to dive into the recent history of the DRC. The country was the scene of armed conflicts of rare intensity, from the assassination of former President Laurent-Désiré Kabila in 2001 until the civil war which followed, making the DRC a mosaic of inter-community violence and external interventions. The M23, an armed movement that appeared in 2012, has become the symbol of this disavowal of institutions and the law.
Kabila was president for almost 18 years, a mandate that has seen advances, but also many flaws, especially in terms of natural resources management and democratic institutions. His return to the front of the stage, even in a contingent way, can be read as an attempt to regain control of a story which he considers lost. In this perspective, his summons to an “endogenous approach” to resolve the current crisis makes sense: implicit recognition that possible solutions must emanate from Congolese rather than any foreign interference.
### Democracy and authoritarianism: a duality to overcome
Kabila also denounced the fact that “everyone talks about the Congo, except the Congolese.” This observation underlines an often neglected dynamic where the Congolese are, paradoxically, the last informed of the crucial discussions concerning them. Indeed, the voice of the diaspora, neighboring states and international actors often seems to dominate a debate in which the Congolese residents are marginalized, often reduced to roles of passive consumers of information.
Far from being a simple observation, this call for collective introspection reveals the crisis of legitimacy that the current political class is going through and the urgency of a democratic renewal. For X, a political analyst based in Kinshasa, the situation is indicative of an authoritarianism hidden behind appearances of democracy. “We need real listening to popular concerns, not only from Kabila, but all our leaders,” she says.
### The need for a new dynamic
The figures often speak better than words. According to the latest report of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), 72 % of Congolese live with less than $ 1.90 per day, an alarming index that betrays decades of unwarmed promises. This increased poverty feeds conflicts that seem to never find a resolution. Kabila’s recent meeting with the opposition and the Catholic Church can be seen as an attempt to channel this collective frustration in a united front, even if it requires a substantial political will.
Kabila seems to be aware of the scope of the challenge. By recalling that six years after his departure, the DRC seems “almost back to square one”, he opens a necessary debate on the responsibility of all political actors. If the problem is actually “much deeper than you think”, as it pointed out, perhaps it is time to sift through the internal dynamics of the country rather than an eternal blame thrown against external actors.
### An uncertain future, but opportunities to seize
In the end, the political situation in the DRC remains fragile, oscillating between the hope of a rebirth and the spectrum of a tumultuous past. Kabila’s request for collective introspection, if it is authentically implemented, could initiate a profound transformation of Congolese society. Indeed, the real challenge lies in the capacity of Congolese to appropriate their common destiny, to forge an inclusive platform which exceeds the usual political rivalries.
The next chapter of the DRC will not be written by Kabila or by M23, but by the Congolese people itself. The question remains: will they be inclined to be heard, beyond rumors and accusations, so that finally, the voice of the Congo resonates in a clear and united way in the concert of nations? A collective answer to this question may well change the course of Congolese history.