US embassy cable - 05KINSHASA1907

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KINSHASA 001907 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/18/2015 
TAGS: PGOV, PINR, CG, S.Kivu 
SUBJECT: NEW SOUTH KIVU GOVERNOR PRESENTS PLANS FOR THE 
PROVINCE 
 
REF: KINSHASA 00710 
 
Classified By: PolOff TJNaber, reasons 1.4 b/d. 
 
1.  (SBU)  Summary:  During a November 17 meeting, newly 
appointed Governor of South Kivu Deogratias Buhamba-Hamba 
outlined his top five priorities for the province.  These 
are: 1) improved intercommunity relations, 2) rebuilding and 
development, 3) ending recruitment by local militias, 4) 
regional relations with neighboring countries, and 5) 
elections.  He said he viewed the governorship as a call to 
service and promised integrity and good governance.  He also 
said he would like a strong relationship with the U.S. in 
South Kivu.  End summary. 
 
New Management for a Troubled Province 
-------------------------------------- 
 
2.  (SBU)  Deogratias Buhamba-Hamba was named Governor of 
South Kivu November 10, filling the vacant post of Augustin 
Bulaimu, who was removed from the governorship for poor 
management and large-scale embezzlement (reftel) April 25, 
2005.  (Note: Vice Governor Kaningini has been the Acting 
Governor since Bulaimu's removal.  End note.)  Buhamba, a 
52-year-old native of Bukavu, spent his entire professional 
career with Chanimetal (a Belgian ship metal company) in 
Kinshasa.  He retired in 2004, after thirty years of 
employment, as the Director of Administration and Finance. 
Buhamba is new on the political scene and an unknown in 
political circles.  He is a member of the "political 
opposition" block which holds the South Kivu governorship in 
the transition government.  (Note:  Within the "political 
opposition" block, Buhamba is a member of the "Forces du 
Futur", the party of Vice President Z'Ahidi Ngoma.  End note.) 
 
A Five-Point Plan for South Kivu 
-------------------------------- 
 
3.  (C)  During an introductory meeting with emboffs in 
Kinshasa November 17, Buhamba outlined his five-point plan 
for South Kivu.  His first goal is good intercommunity 
relations and a reduction of "tribal" animosity.  He vowed to 
hire people from all ethnic groups in his administration. 
(Note:  Scheduled to formally visit Vice President Ruberwa, 
an ethnic Tutsi, on November 17, Buhmaba anticipates some 
critics will claim he is an extremist in the pay of Rwanda or 
the Rwandaphone population.  End note.)  His second goal, to 
focus on concrete rebuilding and development actions, came 
with a request to USAID for non-monetary assistance 
(bulldozers) in clearing a washed-out road that prevents 
Bukavu residents from reaching the local market.  He said 
that he wanted to show the people that he is not a Chanimetal 
bureaucrat but a leader who will take action quickly.  His 
third goal is to fight "negative forces" by improving the 
economic situation and creating jobs.  He reasoned that the 
militias will not be able to find new recruits among the 
population if the people are already employed.  Fourth, 
Buhamba plans to focus on regional relations with Rwanda, 
Burundi, and Tanzania.  He noted that South Kivu has more 
international borders than any other province.  Finally, he 
said he would prepare the population for the upcoming 
elections. 
 
Politics NOT as Usual 
--------------------- 
 
4.  (C)  Buhamba said he sees his appointment as a "call from 
God" to serve his country, his region, and his population. 
He presented himself as a scrupulously honest man, 
comfortably well-off, and uninterested in the material 
benefits of a life in politics.  Indeed, he denounced 
politicians who take positions to enrich themselves.  He 
stressed his financial and professional ethics, and noted he 
had notified President Kabila of emboffs' visit to him as 
"governors cannot conduct diplomacy without presidential 
knowledge."  He also volunteered information about a 
Chanimetal accusation that he favored a particular client 
financially just prior to his retirement, saying he fought 
the Belgian company in court and won a judgment in his favor. 
 Buhamba said former governor Bulaimu impressed him as 
useless and ineffective and said the former governor could 
not even provide him with basic information on salaries or 
current issues in the province. 
 
 
5.  (C)  Comment:  Having lived outside of South Kivu for 
several decades, Buhamba must assert himself quickly to 
become an effective player in provincial politics, and at 
least some members of the GDRC are counting on that not 
happening.  But Buhamba may surprise them.  He is an honest 
man who takes his new position very seriously; the population 
of South Kivu needs exactly that after suffering through the 
misgovernance of Bulaimu and the questionable actions of 
Acting Governor Kaningini.  If he can navigate the difficult 
South Kivu political situation, he could be a force for 
positive change in the region. 
DOUGHERTY