Joseph Kabila a smooth operator
Kabila’s most recent move — choosing Bruno Tshibala as transition prime minister — is a perfect example of his political artfulness and cynicism
As the Democratic Republic of Congo’s (DRC) opposition tears itself apart, a resolution to that country’s political crisis seems elusive, making it unlikely that presidential elections will be held this year — or next. For years, President Joseph Kabila’s distaste for public speaking made him the subject of much mockery on Kinshasa’s political scene. Many thought him an illiterate thug, a puppet in the hands of cleverer actors. They mocked his lack of charisma and tendency to stumble through his speeches. Today the joke is on them. Like a chess master, Kabila has weathered street protests that erupted in 2016, when it became clear elections would not be held before the end of his term in December. He let negotiations drag on until New Year’s Eve, when an agreement for the creation of a transition government was finally decided. He then delayed its implementation for months, getting a little help from fate when opposition leader Étienne Tshisekedi passed away on February 1. Without i...
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