On Monday July 30, 2018 AfroAmerica Network reported, based on sources close to Joseph Kabila, that, after Kigali, he will continue his appeasing campaign to Luanda. That happened three days later.
The trip to Angola, is part of a public relations campaign to appease the international community, that has been openly critical of his efforts to remain in power, after his constitutional term expired in Dec 2016. The campaign started with the official visit of Joseph Kabila's delegation of his heads of security to Kigali, where they met the Rwandan dictator Paul Kagame, who is also the current chair of the African Union..
A Shrewd Strategy; 2 Approaches
The delegation was composed mainly of three sanctioned individuals, including Commander of Military intelligence General Delphin Kahimbi, Director of the National Intelligence Agency (ANR) Kalev Mutondo, and Vice-President and Foreigh Affair Minister Leonard She Okitundu. The delegation composition appeared to highlight the potential military conflict between Kigali and Kinshasa. . In fact, Paul Kagame has been looking at other alternatives to Joseph Kabila. The alternatives include Moise Katumbi (see here "Are Moïse Katumbi, John Numbi and M23 Rebels Joining Forces Against Joseph Kabila?").
In Luanda, unlike Kigali, Joseph Kabila travelled himself accompanied with members of his cabinet and held a meeting with Angolan President Joao Lourenço on Thursday.
Hence, while the trip in Kigali appears to be a telltale sign of warning to stay away from DRC politics, from Joseph Kabila to his long term political godfather, Paul Kagame, the trip in Angola is more for seeking support from one of the most influential powers in Africa. Angola, under former president Dos Santos, has also been a supporter of Joseph Kabila (see here: DR Congo: Angola withdraws troops as Joseph Kabila brings in Rwandan special forces to Kinshasa ).
What now, After Kigali and Luanda.
After the visit to the two capitals with, apparently different goals with the same public relations campain, a question remains: will Joseph Kabila appeasing campaign succeed, to keep him in power?
Already, two of his challengers have arrived and will arrive in DRC to compete in the upcoming elections: ean-Pierre Bemba, recently released from International Criminal Court after 10 years, who touched down in Kinshasa on Wednesday and Moise Katumbi, who plans to arrive in Lubumbashi on Friday, August 3, 2018.
