{UAH} CONGRATULATIONS TO THE PEOPLE OF DR CONGO

Congratulations to Congo opposition leader Felix Tshisekedi for having been confirmed the elected President of DR Congo by the Supreme court yesterday. I call on those who are not happy with the decision to exercise restraint because this is not the end of the world. All stake holders could now choose to make an effort to shake hands and move forward positively, amicably and constructively. From my perspective here in neighbouring Uganda, let me emphasize what I see is at stake in the Democratic Republic of Congo today. It is the opportunity to cross a huge political bridge laid out before the DRC as we speak. The first time for the constantly troubled nation to conduct a peaceful and civilized transfer of power from one leader to the next. In my view everything else is secondary to that specific political event. Especially when we understand that it has never occurred in that country ever since God created the universe. Neither has it ever occurred in some of the African nations whose leaders attempted to decide what DR Congo should or should not do. Now that the matter has been settled by the supreme courts of law, it is safe to say that we now have the final say on the matter. That is simple respect for the rule of law. and everyone, including foreign interference, must respect that ruling. Everybody struggled to respect the ruling of the Uganda supreme court following the questionable 2016 polls. Foreign leaders should therefore now abstain from taking any decisions or making any contrary statements that would therefore be extra-judicial in essence, and prejudicial to peace, regional stability and the rule of law. Meanwhile, those who claim to be devout democrats must surely know better than many of us that the peaceful transfer of power is a most fundamental principal on which stands all successful democracies. Especially in this critical primary stage where the presidency is not only about to be handed over from a ruling party to an opposition leader, but simultaneously from a military ruler to a civilian. What other giant political leap forward is bigger than that? Sometimes I wonder what we really want in life. This key political event provides far more important long term guarantees for political stability, social cohesion, improved public administration, and economic prosperity for the people of the Democratic Republic of Congo. It also provides the best platform to progressively solve all its other pressing issues, including critical electoral reforms based on lessons learnt, and probably strengthening the professionalism and independence of the judiciary. It is now that all these institutional advances have an opportunity to be firmly established. The military is also going to learn to serve under a new commander in chief that is not one who was part of that army at its founding. Many countries in the region are having a hard time with this specific aspect where they see the national army as their personal property because they were part of its founding when it was still a rebel group in the bushes and jungles of Africa.
Yet the people can now have real hope for a now brighter looking future amidst real political change as they have been demanding. Here it finally is today for the people of Congo.
Political scientists and those who are experts should all know best about such basic gradual political nation-building under the gradual improvement in democratic governance, right?
And no sober visionary should have stood in the way of a nation that is about to achieve this important political milestone. While the independence, credibility, and professionalism of the country's highest judicial institutions can be questioned, we must already understand what are the higher stakes here and the political opportunity for real change for country even if some of its people might not yet fully understand its value to themselves and their country. However those foreign leaders  intent on interfering should have understood this themselves more than anybody else. There is a critical necessity to prioritize what matters most for a troubled nation at this great juncture, lest we create a reversal to endless chaos, economic collapse, thriving banditry by armed groups, continued plunder of mineral resources and continued death of civilians in Congo simply because we desired this or that candidate yet the decision was exclusively for the people of Congo to take.
It is therefore imperative that wisdom prevails. We have to see beyond today's individuals and study the bigger political picture: That is where I was when I immediately congratulated President-elect Felix Tshisekedi right after he was declared provisional winner. I was shocked at the contrary direction that supposedly wise African leaders summarily decided to take on a matter that was before the courts. They clearly were also not seeing the wholistic national political process and how best it can be accompanied by all stakeholders into a peaceful and prosperous nation and regional partner henceforth. Unless some of us are hellbent on wanting to see the country remain perturbed for our own other reasons.
Let me end by emphasizing that I am not favouring any particular candidate here. At this very moment all the people of DR Congo and all their leaders irrespective of political divide, can now cross the political milestone together on inauguration day. Just like how biblical Moses of Egypt crossed the red sea with all his people and left the pursuing Pharaohs in total disarray as the waters of the Red Sea closed back upon them. In this case it is primarily thanks to the DR Congo Supreme court ruling yesterday that opposition leader Felix Tshisekedi is now the elected president of the country. Again congratulations to him and the outgoing president Joseph Kabila for this great unexpected achievement that highly benefits their country, and African politics in general.

Signed: Hussein Juruga Lumumba Amin
Kampala, Uganda
20th January 2019

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