Will Obasanjo, Mkapa succeed where others have failed?

On Friday seven Heads of State met in Nairobi- Kenya, to try and put the peace process in eastern DR Congo back on track.The latest summit on the DR Congo was called following renewed fighting in eastern DR Congo between forces loyal to Gen. Nkunda of the National Congress for the Defence of the People (CNDP) and an alliance of the Congolese army and the FDLR/ Interahamwe according to several reports. The armies of Zimbabwe and Angola are also reported to be involved in the fighting on behalf of Kabila’s army. It has been stated that the problems of Congo emanate from a failure in leadership in Kinshasa. President Paul Kagame put it more clearly at the monthly press conference at Urugwiro Village when he said that there is a government that practices politics of extremism in Kinshasa. What is apparent is the fact that the authorities in Kinshasa have for a long time been beating drums of war against Gen. Nkunda, refusing to enter into a peaceful resolution of the conflict. What is apparent is the fact that there is never going to be a military solution to the conflict. And this has been clearly put across by the Rwandan authorities. However as the conference got under way Nkunda’s spokesman, Betrand Bisimwa was quoted saying that many conferences of the kind had taken place and nothing substantial had come out of them. Moreover the refusal by Kinshasa to hold direct talks with the CNDP is of no help to the vast county’s problems. The positive outcome of the summit is the call for the immediate implementation of previous agreements. More so the appointment of notable former leaders Olusegun Obasanjo and Benjamin Mkapa could help to put back the process on course. However it remains to be seen if they will receive the goodwill of all the sides to the conflict which is key to finding a lasting solution. Tanzania’s President Jakaya Kikwete, according to media reports, came out strongly calling for the immediate disarmament of the Interahamwe who are currently based in DR Congo. Yet a new twist to the conflict has emerged with reports indicating that Angolan troops have joined the conflict on behalf of Kabila. UN officials reported Friday that Angolan troops had been sighted near Goma. On October 29, according to reliable sources, Kabila asked for political and military support from Angola as Nkunda’s forces appeared set to capture Goma. With the conflict sucking in foreign governments like Angola and Zimbabwe, fears are rising that this is likely to further complicate a matter that is purely an internal DR Congo issue. Ends