US embassy cable - 05KINSHASA1585

C O N F I D E N T I A L KINSHASA 001585 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/27/2015 
TAGS: PREL, MARR, PGOV, KPKO, CG, UG 
SUBJECT: LRA UPDATE: PRESIDENCY OFFICIAL SAYS OKIDI NOT 
WANTED 
 
REF: A. (A) KINSHASA 1579 AND PREVIOUS 
     B. (B) KAMPALA 2067 
     C. (C) STATE 177083 
 
Classified By: PolCouns MSanderson, reasons 1.4 b/d. 
 
1. (C)  Prompted apparently by a September 26 conversation 
between SRSG Swing and President Kabila, Kabila's Private 
Secretary, Kikaya bin Karubi, called PolCouns September 26 to 
 
SIPDIS 
say that Kabila was very upset at implications that elements 
of the GDRC or the Presidency might have been in touch with 
free lance "negotiator" Jongomoi Okidi-Olal on the LRA issue 
-- or, apparently, anything else.  According to Kikaya, a 
"very angry" Kabila demanded of his closest advisors whether 
they had indeed had any such contact.  Kikaya reminded 
PolCouns that Okidi has been a sort of informal "persona non 
grata," especially with the Presidency, for over two years, 
since the bogus uranium deal.  When PolCouns asked what 
uranium deal, Kikaya responded that Okidi had been in 
Kinshasa shortly after the transition began in 2003, at which 
time he told Presidency officials (notably Kikaya) that he, 
Okidi, was representing a private U.S. firm interested in 
purchasing the Shinkolobwe mine (the source of the uranium 
used by the U.S. in World War II).  He also told Congolese 
officials at that time that he was an "informal envoy" of the 
USG, which was deeply concerned about the potential for 
terrorist use of the uranium, and that consequently the USG 
was prepared to offer the DRC a $30 million loan to help 
secure the Shinkolobwe site. 
 
2. (C)  According to Kikaya, the Congolese expressed interest 
in the idea and asked Okidi to develop an offer.  After 
several months, Okidi contacted Kikaya again and said that he 
and a group of investors would come to the Congo but he 
wanted the GDRC to pay for the trip, put them up in the Grand 
Hotel and then fly them to Katanga province (where the 
Shinkolobwe mine is located) in the President's plane. 
Kikaya claims that at this point the GDRC got wise to what 
seemed to be some sort of scam and backed out of the deal. 
Furthermore, Kikaya said, Kabila instructed his advisors at 
that time to avoid any future contact with Okidi.  Kikaya 
repeatedly insisted that "no one" in the Presidency has been 
in touch with Okidi about anything, least of all about the 
LRA. 
 
3. (C)  We think that Kikaya doth protest too much.  However, 
if Kikaya had indeed been in any sort of contact with Okidi, 
we believe that it was Kikaya freelancing. Whatever contact 
may have been, however, it appears to have been firmly 
stopped by no less than President Kabila himself. 
MEECE