US embassy cable - 04KINSHASA1368

C O N F I D E N T I A L KINSHASA 001368 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/23/2014 
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, PINR, CG 
SUBJECT: KABILA REPLACES FOREIGN MINISTER 
 
 
Classified By: Poloff Edward Bestic for Reasons 1.5 B and D 
 
1. (C) SUMMARY: President Kabila fired foreign minister 
Antoine Ghonda on July 22, at the insistence of GDRC vice 
president Jean-Pierre Bemba.  This did not come as a 
surprise, since Bemba told us seven days ago he was 
determined to replace Ghonda and his aides had hinted for 
weeks that Bemba had doubts about Ghonda's political loyalty. 
 The new foreign minister is Raymond Ramazani Baya, a former 
journalist, minister and ambassador to France, who is 
well-qualified for the job.  END SUMMARY. 
 
Bemba Drops the Hammer 
---------------------- 
2. (C) GDRC President Joseph Kabila officially fired foreign 
minister Antoine Ghonda on July 22.  GDRC vice-president 
Jean-Pierre Bemba, head of the Congo Liberation Movement, had 
demanded Ghonda's ouster.  Publicly and privately, Bemba 
accused Ghonda of incompetence.  MLC cadres and MFA 
officials, however, had previously acknowledged in private to 
emboffs that Bemba felt Ghonda had become more loyal to 
Kabila than to Bemba, and that the MLC chief wanted to 
replace him.  According to an MLC communique on July 23, 
Ghonda will remain head of the party's Kinshasa federation. 
 
The New Minister 
---------------- 
3. (U unless otherwise marked) The new minister, Raymond 
Ramazani Baya, had until his appointment served as Bemba's 
chief diplomatic adviser.  Biodata follow: 
 
--full name: Raymond RAMAZANI BAYA 
 
--born June 17, 1943 in Beni, North Kivu province 
 
--speaks fluent English and French 
 
--comes from a Muslim family, ((C) but Ramazani himself 
recently told emboff he does not practice religion, has been 
a "bad Muslim" most of his life) 
 
--studied politics, diplomacy and journalism at Universite 
Libre de Bruxelles (undergraduate degree in 1973);  earned a 
master's in public administration/financial management from 
Universite d'Anvers (1974) 
 
--early career:  radio and television journalist, beginning 
in 1965;  joined the state-run "Agence Zaire-Presse" in 1974, 
promoted to economics editor in 1977, headed AZP's Brussels 
office 1980-82, and became director of AZP in 1982 
 
--govt. career:  served as minister of information and 
propaganda, 1985-1986;  later appointed ambassador to France 
(year unknown);  allegedly killed two French children in a 
speeding accident in late 1996 (Note:  He is rumored to have 
taken the fall for one of Mobutu's family members.  End 
Note.);  following a public outcry in France and an official 
request from the French government, the Zairean government 
waived his diplomatic immunity;  in April 1997 a French court 
handed down a suspended sentence of two years in jail and a 
fine of FRF 50,000 (Note: (C) A French diplomat told poloff 
on July 23 that this background poses no particular problem, 
they will treat Ramazani as they would any other minister. 
End Note.) 
 
--rebel career:  went into exile when Mobutu regime fell; 
has been a member of Jean-Pierre Bemba's rebel Congo 
Liberation Movement (MLC) since 1999, serving initially as 
MLC representative in Paris, then as Bemba's diplomatic 
adviser 
 
 
COMMENT 
------- 
5. (C) Ghonda leaves with a good reputation in post's eyes. 
As for "loyalty," it is unclear how effective Ghonda could 
have been had he not gained Kabila's trust.  The new foreign 
minister is well-qualified for the job, but is unlikely to 
have as close a relationship with Kabila and his advisers. 
END COMMENT. 
SCOTT