News About Congo

Your Opportunity to Help DR Congo

ARE THESE YOUR MEMBERS OF CONGRESS?
 
Chris H. Smith, Jeff Fortenberry, Tom Marino, Ann Marie Buerkle, Robert Turner, Donald M. Payne, Karen Bass, Russ Carnahan.
If yes, they are members of the Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, and Human Rights and they are hosting a hearing on " U.S. Policy Toward Post-Election Democratic Republic of the Congo " on Thursday February 2 on Capitol Hill.

If you live in the following states - New York ( Syracuse and Brooklyn-Queens NYC), New Jersey , Nebraska , Pennsylvania , California ( Los Angeles ), Missouri - we need your support in calling your congresspeople and posting info on their facebook/twitter pages about the situation in the Congo . Remember to ask your member of Congress to assure that a Congolese representative is invited to testify about his/her country.

Here is a suggested script

Legislative Election Results Postponed Again

Yes, the threat is real and every present here in Congo. It's pretty easy and safe for the diaspora to protest in Europe and the US.

http://blogs.cfr.org/campbell/2012/01/17/congo-kinshasa-legislative-election-results-postponed-again/

Despite the Bishops Conference statement, the Congolese population appears to be largely indifferent, in contrast to the Congolese Diaspora in Europe and the U.S. that has denounced the elections. The indifference probably reflects the desperate poverty of most Congolese and perhaps fear of repression from the Kabila regime.

As the World Moves Forward, Congo is Stuck

The situation with Vodacom Congo is confusing, silly, and halting progress.
Simply, Vodacom Congo is owned by two groups, Vodacom Group Ltd (51%) and Congo Wireless Network (49%).
Vodacom Group is owned 65% by Vodafone, the leader in mobile banking and transfer. Vodafone operates M-Pesa, the currency for the unbanked in Africa.
Here's the catch. Congo Wireless Network, the minority owner of Vodacom Congo, would not allow Vodacom Group to invest about $484 million to upgrade Vodacom Congo.
What!? I think Vodacom Group should just buy out Congo Wireless Network. Then, Vodacom Congo can keep up Vodacom in other African countries.

http://mobile.bloomberg.com/news/2012-01-17/vodacom-s-congo-dispute-nearing-end-international-chief-says.html

Vodacom Group Ltd. (VOD), the phone company with most South African customers, is close to resolving a dispute that has blocked investment in its Democratic Republic of Congo unit for the last two years.
“We’re making good progress and getting closer to a solution,” Johan Dennelind, Vodacom’s head of international operations, said yesterday in an interview at the group’s Johannesburg headquarters. Vodacom is 65 percent owned by Newbury, England-based Vodafone Group Plc. (VOD)

Vodacom has been at odds with local minority partner, Congolese Wireless Network SPRL, since at least early 2010, following a plan to inject $484 million into the business, Vodacom Congo SPRL. CWN has said the recapitalization would dilute its 49 percent share because its shareholders don’t have the money to support their half. Vodacom said last year it had agreed with CWN to “explore options” for the unit after disagreements over the funding and operational structure.

Vodacom Congo had 4.8 million subscribers at the end of September, Vodacom said on Nov. 7. It is the third-largest operator in the country, which has 65 million people and a mobile penetration rate of 17 percent, according to the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency’s World Factbook.

“We’re having constructive discussions with our partners on the Vodacom Congo board,” said Dennelind, adding that Alieu Conteh, the founder and chairman of CWN, was still on the unit’s board. Dennelind said the parties are “nearing completion” and hope to agree soon.

Congo's Catholic Leaders Demand A Correction or Resignation

Congo's National Electoral Commission (CENI) has been challenged to correct the recent election results or resign. It's as simple as that!

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2012/01/13/world/africa/congo-catholic-leaders-demand-review-of-serious-errors-in-vote.xml

Members of the powerful Catholic clergy in the Democratic Republic of Congo called Thursday for the election commission to re-evaluate "serious errors" in national elections that gave victory to the incumbent president, or failing that, to resign.

45 Civilians Killed in Eastern Congo

Women and children bare the full force of war, again.

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2012/01/06/world/africa/congo-45-civilians-killed-in-south-kivu.xml

About 45 civilians were massacred in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, and Congolese troops sent to the area killed four of the Rwandan rebels thought to have been responsible, the Congolese Army said Thursday. The killings of the civilians took place on Monday and Tuesday in remote villages in the territory of Shabunda, in South Kivu Province, an area still troubled by armed groups more than eight years after the end of a war there. An army spokesman said the 45 victims were mainly women and children, including one pregnant woman, and a leader of a village was decapitated.

Food Today Means None Tomorrow

Congolese families are practicing selective eat days. They can't afford enough food to feed the entire family everyday. If you are eating today, someone else is not eating.
The story is focused on life in Kinshasa, the capital city. But I know it happens in rural areas for other reasons, too.

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2012/01/03/world/africa/in-congolese-capital-power-cut-applies-to-food.xml

Today, the big children will eat, Cynthia, 15, and Guellor, 13. Tomorrow, it will be the turn of the little ones, Bénédicte, Josiane and Manassé, 3, 6, and 9.
Of course, the small ones will fuss. "Yes, sure, they ask for food, but we don't have any," said their mother, Ghislaine Berbok, a police officer who earns $50 a month. There will have been a little bread for them at breakfast, but nothing more.

"At night they will be weak," she said. "Sure, they complain. But there is nothing we can do."

I Hope It's Just Awkward

Kabila's inauguration is scheduled today. Tshisekedi's inauguration is scheduled Friday. This situation could become awkward. But it's probably will become violent.

http://m.voanews.com/english/Butty-DRC-Election-Tshisekedi-Moleka-19december11-135841233.html

Congolese opposition leader Etienne Tshisekedi says he will take the oath of office after declaring himself the country's rightful president.
DRC election officials said Tshisekedi lost last month's presidential election to incumbent Joseph Kabila.
But, on Sunday, Tshisekedi repeated his assertion that the vote counting process was flawed and that voters actually elected him president.
Albert Moleka, spokesman and director of cabinet for Tshisekedi, says the opposition leader will take the oath of office Friday.

US says Congo polls were "seriously flawed"

It's unanimous by all the independent observers. Congo's election results were not credible,fair, accurate, or just.

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2011/12/15/worldupdates/2011-12-14T220344Z_1_TRE7BD2BR_RTROPTT_0_UK-CONGO-ELECTION-US&sec=Worldupdates

The November 28 polls, whose outcome has already been rejected by the opposition, were seen as crucial to reinforcing stability but have been marred by poor organisation, delays, violence and accusations of widespread fraud.

The United States has closely followed observer missions including the U.S.-based Carter Center which last week said the results lacked credibility, Ambassador James Entwistle said.
"The United States believes that the management and technical execution of these elections were seriously flawed," Entwistle said in an emailed statement to Reuters.
"(They) lacked transparency and did not measure up to the positive democratic gains we have seen in recent African elections."
The elections are the first Congolese-organised polls since the end of a devastating war in 2003 which left millions dead. An earlier poll in 2006 was organised under the auspices of the United Nations.

Congo President Joseph Kabila says

"Well, they've wasted my time."

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2011/12/13/world/africa/congo-president-kabila-denies-reports-of-election-fraud.xml

Seated at a desk under a spreading tree, looking relaxed and with the broad Congo River flowing behind him, Mr. Kabila insisted Monday that there was no crisis in the country. Speaking in excellent English in this French-speaking country - he was raised partly in Tanzania - Mr. Kabila was dismissive of the longtime opposition leader's claims.

"I thought he was going to call me to congratulate me," Mr. Kabila said, smiling. But he issued a veiled warning to Mr. Tshisekedi: "We'll call on him to respect the laws of the land."
Mr. Kabila also brushed aside questions about widely reported government corruption in Congo, saying it was a universal problem. "Corruption exists anywhere and everywhere in the world," he said.
At the end, the president got up from the desk, smiled and, as the reporters were dismissed, said, "Well, they've wasted my time."

UN Mission Wants Congo Electoral Body To Address Poll Dispute

The UN Mission in Congo says the election results were mismanaged and lacks credibility, too!

http://www.voanews.com/english/news/africa/UN-Mission-Wants-Congo-Electoral-Body-To-Address-Poll-Dispute--135481018.html

The United Nations Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO) is calling on the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) to address concerns over the outcome of the disputed presidential and legislative elections.

Spokesman Madnodje Mounoubai said the world body is echoing sentiments similar to those expressed by the Carter Center and some other international observers who said the results of the vote were “mismanaged” and lack credibility.

“MONUSCO is only adding its voice to the many voices already raised that talked about some concerns following the proclamation of the results of the election,” said Mounoubai.