US embassy cable - 01KINSHASA328

C O N F I D E N T I A L KINSHASA 000328 
 
KUALA LUMPUR PLEASE PASS TO AMBASSADOR WILLIAM LACY SWING 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/17/2010 
TAGS: PGOV, CG 
SUBJECT: GDRC ADMITS KABILA DEAD 
 
CLASSIFIED BY CDA BARRIE WALKLEY FOR REASONS 1.5(B)(D) 
 
 
1. (C) CHARGE, ALONG WITH FRENCH AND BELGIAN AMBASSADORS, WAS 
CONVOKED EARLY AFTERNOON OF JANUARY 18 FOR A MEETING WITH 
MWENZE KONGOLO (MINISTER OF JUSTICE), HENRI MOVA (MINISTER OF 
ENVIRONMENT) AND MAWAMPANGA MWANA NANGA  (MINISTER OF 
FISHERIES AND LIVESTOCK).  AT THE BRIEF MEETING, MWENZE SAID 
HE WISHED TO INFORM THE US, BELGIUM AND FRANCE OF THE CURRENT 
STATE OF EVENTS AND TO REQUEST THE "UNDERSTANDING AND 
ASSISTANCE" OF THE DRC'S "CLOSE FRIENDS" AS THE COUNTRY GOES 
THROUGH A DIFFICULT PERIOD. 
 
2. (C) MWENZE SAID THAT KABILA WAS HIT BY TWO BULLETS, ONE OF 
WHICH WAS EVENTUALLY FATAL.  THE BULLET ENTERED THE SKULL 
NEAR THE EAR WENT DOWN THROUGH KABILA'S BODY AND CAME OUT 
NEAR THE ARM ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE (BY THE DESCRIPTION, IT 
APPEARS KABILA WAS PROBABLY SITTING DOWN AT THE TIME). KABILA 
WAS TAKEN IN A COMA TO HARARE, WHERE--ACCORDING TO MWENZE--HE 
DIED WEDNESDAY NIGHT.  (NOTE: THIS ACCOUNT, IF THE GOVERNMENT 
STICKS TO IT, WOULD ALLOW THEM TO CLAIM THEY WERE TELLING THE 
TRUTH YESTERDAY NOON WHEN THE STATEMENT WAS ISSUED THAT HE 
WAS ALIVE.)  THE ASSAILANT, MWENZE SAID, WAS KILLED. 
 
3. (C) THE BODY, MWENZE ADDED, IS STILL IN HARARE AND 
ARRANGEMENTS ARE BEING MADE FOR ITS RETURN.  A COMMITTEE OF 
MINISTERS IS WORKING ON FUNERAL ARRANGEMENTS.  MWENZE SAID HE 
COULD PROVIDE NO FURTHER DETAILS AT THE MOMENT AS DECISIONS 
WERE STILL BEING MADE. 
 
4. (C) MWENZE INDICATED THAT AN OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT WILL BE 
MADE TODAY REGARDING THE DEATH AND HE CONFIRMED THAT JOSEPH 
KABILA WILL ADDRESS THE NATION TONIGHT (NOT A POLITICAL 
SPEECH, ACCORDING TO MWENZE, BUT A GENERAL SPEECH ABOUT 
CONDITIONS IN THE COUNTRY, INTENDED TO MAINTAIN CALM). 
 
5. (C) MWENZE SAID THE GDRC DID NOT DEFINITIVELY KNOW WHO WAS 
BEHIND KABILA'S ASSASSINATION BUT ADDED THAT "WE ARE ON THE 
TRAIL."  ASKED ABOUT REPORTS OF AN IMMINENT CABINET 
RESHUFFLE, HE SAID THAT IT WAS UNDER DISCUSSION BUT HE WASN'T 
FREE TO TALK ABOUT IT. 
 
6. (C) CHARGE HAS BEEN CONVOKED FOR A MEETING THIS AFTERNOON 
WITH JOSEPH KABILA; MORE DETAILS MAY BE AVAILABLE AT THAT 
MEETING. 
 
 
WALKLEY