US embassy cable - 04KINSHASA2146

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KINSHASA 002146 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/31/2014 
TAGS: PGOV, ECON, KCOR, CG 
SUBJECT: CORRUPTION CHARGES COULD OUST SOME MINISTERS 
 
 
Classified By: Poloff Edward Bestic for Reasons 1.5 B and D 
 
1. (SBU) SUMMARY:  Parliament is preparing to vote, November 
25 or 26, on a report identifying six ministers and President 
Kabila's Chief of Staff as involved in corruption.  If the 
investigating committee's report is accepted by the 
Parliamentary plenary session, the ministers will be 
dismissed, and President Kabila likely will also relief his 
Chief of Staff.  Ousting the six ministers could spark a 
wider cabinet shuffle, for which at least some of the 
components, particularly the RCD, seem prepared. If these 
individuals do lose their jobs--an outcome that is possible 
but not at all certain--it would be a positive development, 
because it will set a precedent in terms of good governance 
and parliamentary oversight.  END SUMMARY. 
 
Kabila Threatens Action 
----------------------- 
2. (U) Amidst much media fanfare, National Assembly president 
Olivier Kamitatu delivered to President Joseph Kabila on Nov. 
23 the findings of a parliamentary investigation of official 
corruption.  (Note:  Kamitatu is also secretary-general of 
Jean-Pierre Bemba's Congo Liberation Movement (MLC).  End 
Note.)  Kabila's spokesman, Kudura Kasongo, issued a press 
statement the same day confirming receipt of the report and 
promising that the president would "draw conclusions" from 
it, "in accordance with the law."  The statement reminded 
readers that Kabila wrote to parliament on May 19 about the 
problem of official corruption and warned at that time that 
anyone who broke the law would be brought to justice. 
Meanwhile, the Nov. 24 headline of pro-Kabila daily 
"L'Avenir" read, "Joseph Kabila Without Pity - Corrupt 
Ministers and Officials to Prison." 
 
Parliament to Vote 
------------------ 
3. (C) Kamitatu told the Ambassador at a dinner November 23 
that he plans to present the report at a plenary of the 
National Assembly commission on Nov. 26, and is working to 
arrange a straight yes-or-no vote on its findings and 
recommendations.  Senior parliamentary figures already 
expressed their support for the document in closed session, 
but Kamitatu is continuing to lobby behind the scenes because 
the final outcome is still unclear.  (Note:  Kamitatu's 
cabinet director told poloff the plenary could take place 
Nov. 25.  End Note.) 
 
The Lineup 
---------- 
4. (C) Thomas Luhaka, MLC spokesman and leader of its 
parliamentary group, told poloff Nov. 24 that the report 
cites senior officials from all the major factions.  The list 
includes:  from Kabila's PPRD, presidency chief of staff 
Evariste Boshab and energy minister Kalema Lusona;  from the 
MLC, public works minister Jose Endundo;  from the RCD-G, 
higher education minister Joseph Mudumbi (and not defense 
minister Jean-Pierre Ondekane, a name cited in the press); 
from the RCD-N, foreign trade minister Roger Lumbala;  and 
from the unarmed political opposition, mines minister Eugene 
Diomi and transport minister Joseph Olengankhoy.  Luhaka said 
the allegations against Endundo are not as serious as the 
others and Bemba wants the National Assembly to "distinguish" 
between individuals and hold public hearings, but Kamitatu 
fears that if the MLC defends Endundo, the other factions 
will follow suit and stick up for their own ministers. Luhaka 
said one of the cases in the report involves a $40m debt owed 
to SNEL, the electricity parastatal, by the government of 
Congo-Brazzaville.  According to Luhaka, one thing the report 
does not mention is that a top SNEL official fingered Kabila 
himself, as well as his sister Janet, Congo-B President 
Sassou Nguessou, and Sassou's cousin in this scam, whereby 
Congo-B paid less than the full amount and Kabila family 
members in turn received a handsome payment for themselves. 
Luhaka understands his own chief, Bemba, may also be 
implicated in this deal, further complicating matters. 
 
RCD-G Eager to Fire its Own 
--------------------------- 
5. (C) South Kivu vice-governor Thomas Nziratimana of the 
RCD-G told poloff Nov. 23 that RCD-G leader Ruberwa and his 
supporters have wanted to axe Mudumbi and Ondekane for 
months, because they "betrayed" the RCD-G by actively 
opposing Ruberwa's decision to boycott the transitional 
government in August.  (Note:  This came days after the Aug. 
13 massacre of Congolese refugees in Burundi.  End Note.) 
Between Ruberwa's indecision and the RCD-G's relative 
weakness, the party did not remove the two immediately, but 
the taint of corruption provides a handy pretext for removing 
them that simultaneously limits Ondekane's and Mudumbi's 
chances of taking supporters with them.  Adolphe Onusumba, a 
former president of the RCD-G and currently vice-president of 
the National Assembly, is the leading candidate to replace 
Ondekane.  Nziratimana commented wryly that Onusumba is eager 
to get the job, not because he feels strongly about 
Ondekane's incompetence but rather as a chance to grab money 
and power. 
 
 
COMMENT 
------- 
6. (C) Very few public figures in the DRC are blameless when 
it comes to questions of corruption. In that sense, the 
investigative report may be seen as more a pretext than a 
real reason for sacking ministers.  Kabila has reportedly 
been looking to replace Boshab for some time, possibly with 
former information minister Kikaya Bin Karubi.  Likewise, the 
RCD-G has been itching to remove some of its own ministers 
for months.  If the ministers identified as corrupt are 
fired--an outcome that is possible but not at all certain--it 
would be a positive development, however, because it sets a 
useful precedent in terms of good governance and 
parliamentary oversight.  END COMMENT. 
MEECE