Speaking to local media, they stated that President Tshisekedi’s approach will not resolve the current security crisis but will instead strengthen «a government in crisis of legitimacy.»
Opposition members assert that they will not support what they describe as «a political charade and a forward flight of power.» Instead, they back the initiative of an inclusive dialogue, as recommended by the bishops of the National Episcopal Conference of Congo (CENCO) and the pastors of the Church of Christ in Congo (ECC), to offer a lasting solution to the conflict in eastern DRC.
The political party «Ensemble pour la République,» led by Moise Katumbi, is among those refusing to participate in any other dialogue process parallel to the bishops’ initiative.
«These ecclesiastical authorities have managed to engage with all stakeholders, including both armed and unarmed opposition, institutional and extra-institutional opposition, and their approach has also received support from the heads of state of the sub-region and some Western partners.
“We support any initiative these authorities will initiate, and we believe it is high time to take responsibility and understand that the situation in our country no longer requires cosmetic solutions or a musical chairs game with positions to assign. We must face political situations that require, above all, uniting ourselves before seeking a national unity government,» explained Hervé Diakese, spokesperson for Ensemble pour la République.
This response is similar to that of Engagement pour la Citoyenneté et le Développement (ECIDE), Martin Fayulu; Leadership et Gouvernance pour le Développement (LGD), Matata Ponyo Mapon, and Refondation du Congo (Envol), (Delly Sessanga). All call on Félix Tshisekedi to «stop political maneuvering and place the people’s interests above his ambitions.»
Meanwhile, the Le Front commun pour le Congo (FCC), the political family of former President Joseph Kabila, questions the necessity of this new initiative, given that several others are already in progress.
The FCC thus refuses to take part in «a service that, evidently, seeks more to legitimize and defend a government, rather than serve the cause of lasting peace and the higher interests of the Congolese people in their diversity,» as stated in a statement,
Congo has been marred by several opposition protests in recent weeks expressing their discontent at the government of President Felix Tshisekedi in handling the conflict in the eastern city of Goma.
Since launching a major escalation of their decade-long fighting with Congolese forces in January, the M23 rebels have captured the cities of Goma and Bukavu and several towns in eastern Congo, prompting fears of regional war involving neighbors whose militaries are also on the ground.
Efforts to achieve a ceasefire collapsed last week after the rebels pulled out of talks facilitated by Angola, condemning European Union sanctions on its leaders.
After Angola’s president and chairperson of the African Union, Joao Lourenço, withdrew as the key mediator on Monday, southern and eastern African leaders announced at a joint summit that a panel of five former African presidents to help seek a peaceful resolution of the conflict.
