[UAH] Brig Gen Sultani Makenga

"But peace is not a gift that you are given on a silver plate, it's something you have to sacrifice a lot, including your life, to achieve, protect and defend at any cost".

When the war ended in Rwanda, I decided to fight for my country, Democratic Republic of Congo. I relocated from Rwanda to Burundi, and that's where I met Mzee [Laurent] Kabila. Mzee and I shared the same goal, to liberate Congo from the brutal, corrupt leadership of Mobutu, which had almost destroyed the country. That was 1996 when we launched the liberation struggle for Congo with Mzee Kabila.

At that time, all of us Congolese fought for the same goal. But when we won the war, we were branded Banyamulenge – a group of Tutsi that is disobedient. We were called foreigners by the same man we had supported, and then told to return to Rwanda where we belonged. 
This was very painful.

I was born in Congo, grew up in Congo, then went to Uganda to join the army in order to fight against the then Rwandese regime that wanted to eliminate all Tutsis, hoping that one day we could also initiate a similar struggle to liberate our country, Congo, from the brutal leadership of Mobutu. You help someone to become president through the gun, but when he tastes power, you become his first victim.

Mzee Kabila was a politician, while I am not. I am a soldier, and the language that I know is that of the gun. My home has been in the bush, fighting injustice and corrupt regimes in this region. Therefore when a politician wants to play politics with me, my response won't be the political podium but the barrel of the gun because, that's my way of fighting for my rights.

I believe that I am fighting for the right reason: to bring peace, unity, good governance and all Congolese who have been refugees for years, including my parents, back to their country. I strongly disagreed with Mzee Kabila, so we fell out. My colleagues and I decided to fight his regime after he betrayed us.

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*A positive mind is a courageous mind, without doubts and fears, using the experience and wisdom to give the best of him/herself.

 

 We must dare invent the future!
The only way of limiting the usurpation of power by
 individuals, the military or otherwise, is to put the people in charge  - Capt. Thomas. Sankara {RIP} '1949-1987

 *"Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent

revolution inevitable"**…  *J.F Kennedy