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Kinshasa, Paris, Brussels.
Le Soft International n°1552|Wednesday, May 18, 2022.
Will Kabila and Katumbi, locked in conflict since 2015, give up on peace? Everything suggests this, as he convened the “Forum for Unity and Reconciliation of Katangese” from May 17 to 19, 2022, under the mediation of Archbishop Fulgence Muteba Mugalu of Lubumbashi. Will they pool their resources for the 2023 elections? Time will tell!
In March 2022, at a press conference in the copper capital, the Archbishop of Lubumbashi announced a forum to bring together all leaders of the Greater Katanga region.
This will be a question that will promote true reconciliation among the sons and daughters of Katanga.
“By organizing this forum, we hope to get Katangan leaders of all tendencies to sit down and look in the same direction, to tell each other the truth, rather than focusing on past atrocities for which we bear no responsibility. At least for the moment, control, rather than forgive each other by overcoming blind obstacles,” he said.
Participants in these meetings should answer questions such as: What are the causes of these divisions? What concrete measures should be taken to reconcile and unite them? What are the interests of the people here and elsewhere?
“We must work to preserve and defend the interests of the people. It is to help the sons and daughters of Katanga to take real actions of reconciliation, true reconciliation and to commit to working together, while maintaining unity in diversity, to defend the political interests, socio-economic and cultural interests of the Katangan people. And all those who live in Katanga,” explained the Catholic bishop.
Bishop Fulgens Mutemba Mugaru explained that this will be a meeting that will bring peace and unity to his church province. “The planned forum is only to promote peace, unity and reconciliation in our church province.”
Horizon 2023?
On May 12, 2022, the Archbishop held another press conference. He confirmed the holding of the “Forum for Unity and Reconciliation of Katangans”.
Date: 17-19 May 2022.
“This is a civic initiative. As pastors, we just want to ask brothers and sisters to consolidate cohesion at the provincial level so that we can play a role at the national level.
According to the Archbishop, 200 participants are expected.
“We have invited several prominent people, politicians, businessmen, young people, women, traditional chiefs, all of whom will meet with about 200 people, and people will finally talk to each other, bury the hatchet and find cohesion,” he told Katanga reporters.
“Our great province of Katanga was divided a few years ago. We can never return to the unity of Katanga, but we can at least keep the unity of the Katanga soul, the Katanga pride and the Katanga identity.” For Bishop Muteba, no one will be forgotten during these meetings, which will start with a category of people considered influential.
“We said we care about social cohesion, but we start with a category of people who we think have influence, who can make a commitment to live in cohesion and solidarity, and to reconcile, to influence, so that all those who can come to Katanga can be integrated into an atmosphere of living together.”
Then: “It is true that there are quite clear divisions and disagreements, often for political reasons. But these divisions are not limited to the level of politicians, they are evident even among the Katangan population.
That is why we start with this category, hoping that we can still maintain cohesion among the residents who live here and other communities, who have to feel comfortable, but also at the national level”.
He cited some specific examples of conflict among Katangan leaders, stressing that where there was division, there was no development.
“This situation of division is not limited to just two people. That is, on one side there is Joseph Kabila and on the other side there is Moise Katumbi, but Joseph Kabila has his forces and Moise has his forces. But beyond that, there are other conflicts that we often forget.”
Then: “In Lualaba, you know Fifi Masuka and Muyej look at each other like stone dogs even from a distance. Look around, whether it’s Upper Lomami or Tanganyika, it’s the same. Some Zoe participants are unhappy because the conditions under which Zoe was removed did not satisfy everyone.
As a servant of God, Bishop Mutheba said he can try to put into practice God’s words: “When you see the speck in someone else’s eye, first remove the beam from your own eye.”
On December 9, 2018, Joseph Kabila, in an interview with several American media outlets, did not rule out participating in the 2023 general election, as he would not be able to participate in the presidential election on December 30, 2018, at the end of his second term.
“Why not wait until 2023 to consider things? In life, as in politics, I do not rule out anything,” he continued. Moïse Katumbi Chapwe, the former governor of Katanga province, also announced his name several times during the opening ceremony.
Will they consider a political agreement after the Catholic-brokered reconciliation is over?
With institutions.
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