Rebel splits part of search for “political legitimacy”

A western diplomat told IRIN that the realignments among the rebels were moves to gain “political legitimacy”. Also, the “Mobutuists want to be in the movement, but Rwanda can’t accept that”, an African diplomat told IRIN. Despite the expansion of the RCD assembly, and its transformation into a “politico-military movement”, dissident factions remain. A split between Wamba dia Wamba and his number two, Arthur Z’Ahidi Ngoma, was reportedly patched up in Kampala at the weekend, the ‘Sunday Vision’ said. ‘La Libre Belgique’ quoted Willy Mishiki, a North Kivu member of the RCD, saying of the Tutsi representation in the RCD: “We accept them as Congolese brothers, but should they hold so many posts?”. ‘Le Soir’ described the political mixture that is the “new” RCD as “explosive”.