Election News
EU troops to support the UN: Sweden and Belgium have come forward to commit troops for maintaining peace during the DR Congo election process, culminating in June. France and Germany are more reluctant, and Germany says that it ‘cannot imagine going outside of Kinshasa.’
Granted it is inevitable that Kinshasa will experience rioting and discord: it is a sprawling capital city of 9 million people. But if troops are being deployed, to say that Kinshasa would be the only place covered is laughable. You might as well stay home, troops.
An expat Congolese living in Massachusetts has decided to enter the presidential race. He counts himself in the group of 5 viable candidates among the 20 some registered to run, and has started a party called Union for the Rebuilding of Congo, through which he has begun campaigning for the election scheduled in June.
You can donate to his cause here.
The other four candidates are the current president, Joseph Kabila, two of his four vice presidents, and a former banker.
Because of his distance from DR Congo over the past 20 years, it seems that he may just have a chance. He is running in part on an anti-corruption platform, for which he has more credibility than someone coming from inside the current political system because he has spent less time stewing in the culture of corruption. I could be wrong, but it also seems that someone who has made a legitimate living and has been established outside Kinshasa for so long would be more likely to seek the presidency for legitimate reasons than some candidates running from inside the system.
Kashala anticipates that his campaign will cost $10 million, and is considering hiring a company to run it.
An agreement was signed today that will implicate both South Africa and Belgium in post-election restructuring. South Africa was confident enough to state that DRC polls 'don't need troops'.
There is a lot of optimism regarding the elections in many sectors; South African Defence Minister Lekota says that the country is primed for democratic elections, who also made the cryptic and mysterious comment:
"Our optimism is not only based on air..."
posted by Congogirl at 3:58 AM
2 Comments:
I was in Kinshasa in March 2006; what I saw is still hunting me. I went to visit the General Hospital of Kinshasa; ex Mama Yemo. What I saw there was troubling: mothers and their babies being secestrated in the hospital for the simple reason they are poor and could not afford paid their hospital bills!!! some of the babies have been there for over 3 months!!! (fyi Kabila's monthly salary is around $250,000 US)
Congo is not a guinea pig in a Lab; Congo is indeed a country with over 60 million human being. To have that country governed by a bunch of HOLLIGANS and WAR CRIMINALS, known to the world is more than sickning. Enough is enough. Dr. Kashala is willing to bring his expertise to the Congo; the same western world should encourage non-criminals to return to Africa and run their countries.
Don't wait for africans to start planting bombs in Paris, London. Tokyo, Berlin, Brussels or Washington before the world listen to their plea ... with more than 5 million death in the Congo, it is about time the world pays attention to the case of the DRC.
3:54 AM
I am curious what you were doing in Kinshasa at HGK and Mama Yemo? I have yet to visit them, but I have colleagues who work there. I saw an interesting article about doctor strikes, I'll post it soon - I've got to update from my other site, where I post more regularly.
4:03 PM
Post a Comment
<< Home