R 261615Z MAR 01
FM AMEMBASSY KINSHASA
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 9237

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 KINSHASA 001610 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/26/2011 
TAGS: PGOV PREL CG
SUBJECT: HOW JOSEPH KABILA BECAME PRESIDENT; CONVERSATIONS 
WITH A "KING MAKER" 
 
REF: A. KINSHASA 1594 
     ¶B. KINSHASA 1253 
 
CLASSIFIED BY POLOFF JONATHAN PRATT FOR REASONS 1.5 (B/D) 
 
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SUMMARY 
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¶1. (S) WHEN IT BECAME CLEAR THAT LAURENT KABILA'S GUNSHOT 
WOUNDS WERE FATAL, CHIEF OF STAFF GEORGES BUSE AND DEPUTY 
CHIEF OF STAFF JEAN MBUYU, IN CONSULTATION WITH SEVERAL OTHER 
MEMBERS OF THE PRESIDENTIAL CABINET, MET TO DECIDE ON A 
SUCCESSOR.  THEY SETTLED ON HIS SON JOSEPH AS THE ONLY PERSON 
WHO COULD HOLD TOGETHER VARIOUS GOVERNMENT AND MILITARY 
FACTIONS.  THE TASK OF SELLING THEIR CHOICE TO OTHER POWER 
BROKERS WAS NOT EASY.  OLD GUARD HARD-LINERS KAKUDJI, MWENZE, 
AND YERODIA RESISTED.  KAKUDJI REPORTEDLY WANTED TO BE 
PRESIDENT HIMSELF.  MILITARY COMMANDERS ALSO HAD TO BE 
CONVINCED, BUT THIS WASN'T AS DIFFICULT SINCE JOSEPH WAS WELL 
KNOWN AND GENERALLY RESPECTED WITHIN THE MILITARY.  AN 
UNEXPECTED OBSTACLE WAS JOSEPH'S INITIAL RELUCTANCE TO ACCEPT 
THE OFFER.  ONCE THIS WAS OVERCOME, BUSE AND MBUYU PRESENTED 
JOSEPH KABILA TO THE REST OF THE GOVERNMENT AS THE NEW 
PRESIDENT. 
 
¶2. (C) BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION FOR JEAN MBUYU IS INCLUDED IN 
THIS CABLE.  BIO DATA FOR OTHER KEY PLAYERS IN JOSEPH 
KABILA'S GOVERNMENT WILL FOLLOW SEPTEL ONCE THE NEW CABINET 
IS SELECTED (ANNOUNCEMENT IS REPORTED TO BE IMMINENT.) 
 
 
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CHOOSING A SUCCESSOR 
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¶3. (S) A HIGHLY RELIABLE EMBASSY CONTACT RELATED TO POLOFF 
MARCH 25 A RECENT CONVERSATION HE HAD WITH PRESIDENTIAL 
ADVISOR JEAN MBUYU.  MBUYU, CURRENTLY SERVING AS JOSEPH 
KABILA'S SPECIAL ADVISOR FOR SECURITY, WAS LAURENT KABILA'S 
DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF WHEN THE PRESIDENT WAS ASSASSINATED. 
ACCORDING TO MBUYU, HE AND CHIEF OF STAFF GEORGES BUSE WERE 
THE PRIMARY PLAYERS IN SELECTING LAURENT KABILA'S SUCCESSOR. 
 
¶4. (S) MBUYU TOLD CONTACT THAT IT WAS CLEAR WITHIN HOURS 
AFTER HE HAD BEEN SHOT THAT LAURENT KABILA WAS NOT GOING TO 
SURVIVE.  MBUYU SAID THAT HE AND CHIEF OF STAFF GEORGES BUSE, 
IN CONSULTATION WITH SEVERAL OTHER UNSPECIFIED MEMBERS OF 
LAURENT KABILA'S PRESIDENTIAL CABINET, SAT DOWN THE EVENING 
OF JANUARY 16 TO DECIDE ON A SUCCESSOR.  JOSEPH WAS THEIR 
IMMEDIATE AND OBVIOUS CHOICE.  IN THEIR VIEW, HE WAS HE ONLY 
PERSON WHO COULD UNIFY THE VARIOUS FACTIONS WITHIN THE 
GOVERNMENT AND COMMAND THE RESPECT OF THE MILITARY. 
 
¶5. (S) BUSE AND MBUYU WERE PARTICULARLY CONCERNED ABOUT 
MAINTAINING THE LOYALTY OF THE VARIOUS MILITARY FACTIONS, 
SINCE THE FAC HAD BEEN PIECED TOGETHER FROM UNITS THAT WERE 
RECRUITED AND TRAINED IN DIFFERENT REGIONS.  MOST WERE 
RECRUITED IN KATANGA AND THE KIVUS; SOME HAD BEEN TRAINED IN 
ANGOLA AND ZIMBABWE.  BUSE AND MBUYU BELIEVED THAT JOSEPH WAS 
THE ONLY FIGURE WHO WOULD BE PERCEIVED TO HAVE LEGITIMACY IN 
THE EYES OF THE DIVERSE MILITARY COALITIONS.  HE HAD VISITED 
ALL OF THE CAMPS DURING HIS TENURE AS COMMANDER OF GROUND 
FORCES, AND HAD MARCHED ACROSS THE COUNTRY WITH THEM IN 
1996-97.  IN THEIR VIEW, KABILA WAS WELL REGARDED BY THE 
ARMED FORCES. 
 
¶6. (S) MBUYU SAID THAT HE AND BUSE INSTRUCTED MILITARY AIDE 
DE CAMP EDDY KAPEND TO GO ON TELEVISION THE NIGHT OF JANUARY 
16TH TO APPEAL FOR CALM AND ORDER.  AS A MEMBER OF THE 
PRESIDENTIAL CABINET, KAPEND WAS THE MOST ACCESSIBLE MILITARY 
OFFICER.  PERHAPS MORE CRUCIAL, BUSE AND MBUYU JUDGED THAT 
KAPEND HAD THE SUPPORT OF GENERAL YAV NAWEJ, WHO DESPITE HIS 
ARREST "REMAINS A POWERFUL MILITARY FIGURE, RESPECTED AND 
FEARED BY THE FAC IN KINSHASA." 
 
 
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MAKING THE HARD SELL 
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¶7. (S) BUSE AND MBUYU WERE REPORTEDLY CONVINCED THEY WOULD 
HAVE A HARD TIME PERSUADING HARD-LINERS KAKUDJI, MWENZE, AND 
YERODIA TO ACCEPT JOSEPH.  INTERIOR MINISTER KAKUDJI PROVED 
TO BE THE TOUGHEST SELL, AS HE HIMSELF HAD PRESIDENTIAL 
ASPIRATIONS.  MBUYU DID NOT INDICATE WHAT DEALS MIGHT HAVE 
BEEN STRUCK TO OBTAIN KAKUDJI'S APPROVAL, BUT DID SAY THAT 
AFTER MUCH ARM TWISTING AND INTERNAL "SHUTTLE DIPLOMACY" 
KAKUDJI EVENTUALLY RELENTED.  JUSTICE MINISTER MWENZE KONGOLO 
AND ABDOULAYE YERODIA (FORMERLY MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, 
NOW MINISTER OF EDUCATION) WERE RESISTANT AT FIRST BUT GAVE 
IN MORE EASILY THAN KAKUDJI. 
 
¶8. (S) MBUYU SAID THAT HE AND BUSE NEXT APPROACHED THE KEY 
MILITARY COMMANDERS (CONTACT REPORTED MBUYU SPECIFICALLY 
MENTIONED GENERAL LWETCHA) TO GET THEIR APPROVAL.  THIS 
WASN'T A PROBLEM, ACCORDING TO MBUYU, SINCE JOSEPH IS WELL 
REGARDED IN THE MILITARY, AND THE COMMANDERS WERE PLEASED 
THAT SOMEONE WITH AN ARMY BACKGROUND WOULD ASSUME CONTROL. 
 
¶9. (S) THE FINAL HURDLE WAS CONVINCING JOSEPH HIMSELF OF THE 
PLAN.  THIS PROVED TO BE MORE DIFFICULT THAN EXPECTED AS 
JOSEPH WAS INITIALLY "VERY RESISTANT" TO THE IDEA.  MBUYU DID 
NOT CONVEY JOSEPH'S REASONS FOR BALKING AT THE PROPOSAL 
(JOSEPH MAY NOT HAVE PROVIDED AN EXPLANATION) BUT MBUYU 
SPECULATED THAT PERSONAL SECURITY WAS PROBABLY CHIEF AMONG 
HIS CONCERNS. 
 
¶10. (S) ONCE THEY HAD SECURED JOSEPH'S AGREEMENT, BUSE AND 
MBUYU CONVOKED ALL GOVERNMENT MINISTERS AND PRESENTED JOSEPH 
KABILA AS THE SUCCESSOR TO HIS FATHER.  "HERE IS YOUR NEW 
PRESIDENT," IS HOW MBUYU DESCRIBED THE ANNOUNCEMENT.  "THERE 
WAS LITTLE DISCUSSION," REPORTED MBUYU.  THE TWENTY THREE 
OTHER MINISTERS LOOKED TO KAKUDJI, MWENZE, AND YERODIA TO 
GAUGE WHETHER OR NOT JOSEPH HAD THEIR SUPPORT.  "THE DEAL WAS 
SEALED" WHEN THESE THREE KEY FIGURES EXPRESSED THEIR SUPPORT 
(OR AT LEAST DIDN'T EXPRESS OPPOSITION).  ACCORDING TO MBUYU, 
ALL THAT REMAINED WERE THE "DETAILS" OF ANNOUNCING THE 
SUCCESSION AND FIGURING OUT UNDER WHAT LEGAL AUTHORITY JOSEPH 
COULD BE NAMED PRESIDENT. 
 
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BIO INFORMATION: JEAN MBUYU 
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¶11. (C) SAID TO BE IN HIS MID-FORTIES, "MBUYU" IS A MULUBA 
FROM NORTH KATANGA (OTHERWISE KNOWN AS A "MULUBAKAT.")  HIS 
MOTHER IS RUMORED TO BE RWANDAN, A CLAIM THAT HAS ALSO BEEN 
MADE OF JOSEPH KABILA.  MBUYU ATTENDED LAW SCHOOL AND 
PRACTICED LAW IN LUBUMBASHI, EVENTUALLY BECOMING HEAD OF THE 
LUBUMBASHI BAR ASSOCIATION IN 1991.  MBUYU CREATED A HUMAN 
RIGHTS ORGANIZATION IN LUBUMBASHI CALLED "THE COMMITTEE FOR 
THE DEFENSE OF HUMAN RIGHTS" (CDH), WHICH STILL EXISTS TODAY. 
 MBUYU GAINED A MEASURE OF PROMINENCE IN 1990 WHEN HE WAS 
JAILED FOR DENOUNCING THE STUDENT MASSACRE OF MAY 12, 1990 IN 
LUBUMBASHI.  JESUIT MISSIONARIES PRESSURED THE GOVERNMENT TO 
RELEASE HIM.  MBUYU PARTICIPATED IN THE NATIONAL SOVEREIGN 
CONFERENCE OF 1991-2 AS A REPRESENTATIVE OF KATANGAN CIVIL 
SOCIETY AND BECAME A MEMBER OF THE TRANSITIONAL PARLIAMENT 
UNDER MOBUTU.  MBUYU WAS AN EMBASSY IV PARTICIPANT IN 1991 
AND LATER A "FELLOW" AT THE INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS LAW 
GROUP IN WASHINGTON, DC FROM 1994-96.  MBUYU SUBSEQUENTLY 
ATTENDED THE UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME LAW SCHOOL AND RECEIVED 
HIS L.L.M. IN 1997.  HIS WIFE, A NURSE, REPORTEDLY STILL 
LIVES IN INDIANA.  PROBABLY DUE IN PART TO FAMILY TIES (MBUYU 
IS SAID TO BE LAURENT KABILA'S COUSIN), KABILA CHOSE MBUYU TO 
BE HIS LEGAL ADVISOR.  KABILA THEN PROMOTED MBUYU TO DEPUTY 
CHIEF OF STAFF.  FOLLOWING THE PRESIDENT'S ASSASSINATION, 
MBUYU CONTINUED TO SERVE AS POLITICAL ADVISOR TO JOSEPH 
KABILA AND ALSO ACTED AS HIS LIAISON WITH THE POLITICAL 
OPPOSITION (REF A).  JOSEPH KABILA APPOINTED MBUYU SPECIAL 
ADVISOR FOR SECURITY ON MARCH 8.  MBUYU SPEAKS ENGLISH BUT 
PREFERS FRENCH. 
 
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COMMENT 
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¶12. (C) THE REPLACEMENT OF CHIEF OF STAFF GEORGES BUSE WITH 
THEOPHILE MBEMBA (THE FORMER GOVERNOR OF KINSHASA) LEAVES 
JEAN MBUYU AS THE ONLY "KING MAKER" IN JOSEPH'S GOVERNMENT. 
THIS APPEARS TO AFFORD HIM CONSIDERABLE CLOUT IN THE NEW 
ADMINISTRATION.  THAT SEVERAL OF MBUYU'S CLOSE COLLEAGUES 
WERE TAPPED TO OTHER POSITIONS IN THE PRESIDENTIAL CABINET 
(REF B), AND THAT JOSEPH HAS RELIED ON MBUYU FOR SEVERAL KEY 
TASKS (SUCH AS LIAISON WITH THE OPPOSITION) APPEAR TO CONFIRM 
HIS GROWING INFLUENCE. 
 
¶13. (C) IF THE SCENARIO DESCRIBED ABOVE IS ACCURATE, IT IS 
SURPRISING THAT MBUYU HIMSELF WAS NOT CHOSEN TO BE CHIEF OF 
STAFF.  JOSEPH MAY PREFER TO RELY ON MBUYU AS A TRUSTED 
ADVISOR RATHER THAN PLACING HIM DIRECTLY IN CHARGE OF HIS 
STAFF.  OR, CONSCIOUS OF MBUYU'S KEY ROLE IN HIS OWN 
SELECTION, JOSEPH MAY BE LEERY OF GIVING HIM TOO MUCH POWER. 
 
SWING