Solo Kinshasa

An election propaganda car (with a TV strapped to the roof a la Bluesmobile.

Joseph Kabila, the President of the less-than-impeccably Democratic Republic of Congo, has been AWOL since apparently winning November’s widely-criticised elections. Never exactly an enthusiastic public speaker, the taciturn JK (election slogan: “100% sure!” ) appears to be quietly pondering his next move and perhaps waiting to confirm who has won seats before attempting to cobble together a government. Following all manner of rumours about the President’s absence, word now has it that he has returned to Kinshasa after staying at his farm in Lubumbashi.

The opposition is also reflecting hard on their options. Not many people heeded opposition leader Etienne Tshisekedi’s call for a national strike yesterday, but the demonstrations led by the Catholic church, beginning on 16 February, may be another matter altogether.

The battle lines are being drawn, as Cardinal Monsengwo, who has called for the election results to be annulled, is vilified daily on national television, while his churches have reportedly been giving lessons in political courage and activism. Should there be a big turnout, policing will be a dicey matter: the date is chosen to coincide with the 20th anniversary of Mobutu’s crackdown on Christian protestors’ calls for democracy in March 1991, in which 35 people became ‘martyrs of democracy’ and dozens were wounded. The event heralded the beginning of the end of the dictator’s rule, preceding the army’s revolt and looting spree later that year to protest unpaid wages.