Kabila criticised at Kinshasa conference

Delegates attending the national consultation meeting in Kinshasa have criticised President Laurent-Desire Kabila, saying he is no different to his predecessor Mobutu Sese Seko. According to Reuters news agency, representatives of some political parties and human rights groups called for an “immediate halt to the amateurism and adventurism at the head of state”. “In place of the old dictatorship, a new one has made itself at home and the longed-for change has turned out to be pure fabrication, illusions, utopia,” human rights groups were quoted as saying.

The press attache at the DRC embassy in Nairobi, Mubima Maneniang Milang, on Wednesday dismissed the remarks. “They were just talking,” he told IRIN. “President Kabila has a vision for the country. His resolve to work with those who were in the Mobutu regime is where the problem started.” Milang claimed that those who were criticising Kabila were followers of opposition leader, Etienne Tshisekedi “out to prolong” what Mobutu had started, “thus a new Mobutuism”. “He [Kabila] managed to do what they could not, drive out Mobutu,” Milang added.

The anti-Kabila remarks apparently “proved too much” for state television, whose live broadcast of Saturday’s proceedings went off air shortly afterwards, Reuters said.