DRC President Joseph Kabila, Monday fired his Defence minister, Tchikez Diemu and demoted his minister of Foreign Affairs, Mbusa Nyamwisi, over what is believed to be linked to the serious military setbacks by the government army (FARDC) in the eastern part of the country.

The changes come at a time when FARDC lost ground and a major military base, Rumangabo, to rebels of the National Congress for the Defence of the People (CNDP) led by Gen. Laurent Nkunda.

Diemu was replaced by Charles Mwando Nsimba, also from the ruling People's Party for Reconstruction and Democracy (PPRD) while Nyamwisi, who was given the lowly ministry of decentralization, was replaced by Justice Luzolo Bambi Lesa.

Most of the key ministries remained in the hands of Kabila’s PPRD.

While Tchikez Diemu was not given any other appointment, observers believe Mbusa’s was a polite demotion because he had failed to rally the international community on the side of the government in his war against Nkunda.

A Congolese high school teacher, who did not want his identity revealed, but who comes from the same tribe as Mbusa Nyamwisi – the Nande¬ – explained that Kabila could not afford to lose Nyamwisi at this time because the latter enjoys wide support in his home region North Kivu.

"Kabila has been clipping his wings slowly. First he was the ministre d’état (super minister), then he was made a simple minister of Foreign Affairs,” said the teacher.

Another source in Goma said that the firing of Tchikez Diemu, one of the Kinshasa hawks who were rooting for a military solution, does not change the war logic.

"If the reshuffle Kabila made was a change of direction – to seek a peaceful settlement – then he should have replaced extremist commanders like Kayembe deputy regional brigade commander, Jonas Padiri and David Rugayi. I think he is digging in,” he said.

Meanwhile Monday afternoon the rebels were just 16km from Goma as fighting was reported in Kibumba.

Rebel sources also said the government army (FARDC) and their FDLR (Rwandan rebel group) allies clashed with CNDP at Biruma, Katale, Bushenge, Rumangabo and Rugali.

Four of the five government positions fell into the hands of the rebels.

CNDP spokesman, Bertrand Bisimwa said that the FARDC had fled leaving the fighting to FDLR.

He claimed MONUC was patrolling close to the FDLR positions and were preparing to give the Rwandan armed group air and artillery support to regain the lost ground.

"We were very surprised to see MONUC patrolling close to FDLR. We will not take it down if the UN forces side with the genocidal forces,” Bisimwa warned, without explaining what CNDP would do if their suspicions came to be true.

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