A number of leading regime figures were arrested on suspicion of involvement in the assassination, including Col. Kapend, General Nawej, and several other of the Lunda ethnic group. These arrests brought to the surface the rivalry between the Lunda and the Luba-Katanga, the two leading ethnic groups of Katanga.
Laurent Kabila had bridged the gap, since he was a Luba by his father and a Lunda by his mother. The danger was that Zimbabwe might side with the Luba-Katanga faction, splitting the pro-Kinshasa coalition. In the first week of March, there were reports of shooting between Namibian and Angolan troops, the latter siding with Lunda deserters. Namibia is a minor player; a split between Angola and Zimbabwe could endanger the unfolding peace process. Then Uganda withdrew some troops from Congo, and Rwanda pulled its troops back from Pweto in eastern Katanga , to Pepa, miles to the north.
Unable to build a Congolese army, Laurent Kabila had depended upon the support of his allies Angola and Zimbabwe to hold the front and coordinate logistics, and on the Hutu to launch offensives. If the peace process is to advance, the timetable of withdrawals will have to be worked out and executed with care. This is mainly the responsibility of the United Nations and the parties to the conflict.
The slain Kabila left a poisonous legacy to his country and to his son, and in other respects as well. Joseph Kabila will need to establish a dialogue with the armed and unarmed opposition, and attempt to revive the Congolese economy. It will be interesting to see whether President George W. Bush shows any inclination to intervene on the side of AMFI. Joseph Kabila will need to be skillful if he is to extract his country from its present semi-colonial status.
Now as leader of the parliamentary majority, Kabila continues to bring together the political leaders who have remained loyal to him, and there are many of them: on 1 May, it was the provincial governors of the Common Front for Congo FCC who were invited to attend; on 22 June, it was the turn of the senators of this coalition. But few have been able to enter his private apartments.
There are antelopes, zebras, wildebeests, crocodiles, giraffes, buffaloes, and a 4-metre python. A dozen rhinos graze in a private enclosure. White and brown lions also have their own space. And, since May 29, a herd of elephants roam the area.
Since its public opening in June , six months before Kabila left the presidency, the park has become a major attraction in Kinshasa.
He never felt too comfortable in Kinshasa — an anarchic capital of more than 10 million people — until he fell on this valley, where a peaceful river meanders. Quickly, he installed a few prefabricated structures on one of the banks. Get your free PDF : Top african compagnies Get your free PDF by completing the following form. Over the years, impressive investments have made it possible to develop the site.
Impeccable asphalt roads have been built, , trees have been planted, and dikes have been built to create several artificial lakes. In total, between and workers are active on the property every day. Kabila has also started an animal breeding project: he owns 1, pigs and oxen. The area is almost entirely self-sufficient. A newly-built diversion canal generates 2MW of electricity for the exclusive benefit of the park. It will soon host 15 lodges for tourists, and currently houses three aircraft A Lockheed Tristar, which once linked Kinshasa to Brussels, a Boeing and a Boeing Clearly visible from the air and on Google Maps, they have fuelled many fantasies.
Some see this as evidence that the former president is preparing for a clandestine military action from his private residence.
But, the aircraft are sitting idle at the top of a hill, out of order, with no engine, or runway nearby. Kabila actually wants to repaint them in his favourite colour — blue — and make the site a new restaurant with a view.
Joseph Kabila's campaign website in French. Etienne Tshisekedi's party in French. Armed men have for years terrorised the east of the country.
DR Congo came last in the UN's index of human development. Inside DR Congo. The Democratic Republic of Congo covers 2,, square km of land in the centre of Africa, making it the 12th largest country in the world.
Eastern DR Congo is awash with a variety of different rebel groups — some have come from neighbouring countries, while others have formed as self-defence groups. Many are taking advantage of the lack of a strong state to seize control of the area's mineral riches.
DR Congo has abundant mineral wealth. This wealth however has attracted looters and fuelled the country's civil war. Despite the country's size, transport infrastructure is very poor. Of ,km of roads, only 2,km are paved. There are around 4, km of railways but much is narrow-gauge track and in poor condition. Waterways are vital to transport goods but journeys can take months to complete. Overcrowded boats frequently capsize, while DR Congo has more plane crashes than any other country.
With an estimated population of 71 million, DR Congo is the fourth most populous country in Africa. DR Congo has around ethnic identities with the majority of people belonging to the Kongo, Luba and Mongo groups.
Given its size and resources DR Congo should be a prosperous country, but years of war, corruption and economic mismanagement have left it desperately poor.
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