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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 KINSHASA 000039 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 2020/02/26 
TAGS: PGOV PREL ECON PINR PREF PHUM CG
SUBJECT: Cabinet reshuffle announced February 20: Prime Minister is 
big winner in smaller cabinet; CNDP does not get a ministry 
 
REF: KINSHASA 254; KINSHASA 252; KINSHASA 218 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: William J. Garvelink, Ambassador, Embassy Kinshasa; 
REASON: 1.4(B), (D) 
 
¶1.   (C) Summary:  Ending a long period of speculation about a 
cabinet reshuffle, President Kabila announced his new government 
late Friday, February 19 (ref C).  The big winner was Prime 
Minister Adolphe Muzito who kept his position and received support 
when Kabila appointed trusted confidants to key economic positions. 
Another clear winner was presidential chief of staff Adolphe Lumanu 
who assumes the portfolio of Deputy Prime Minister of Interior and 
Security, as well as the Interior Ministry portfolio.  The recently 
integrated Tutsi-led rebel force CNDP (National Congress for the 
Defense of the People) received no positions in the government, a 
big surprise as many observers believed the CNDP had a tacit 
agreement with Kabila to lay down its arms in return for CNDP 
inclusion in the next cabinet.  This relatively minor reshuffle 
reflects Kabila's deliberative decision-making style and, suggests 
that he intends to maintain current coalition partners (PALU and 
UDEMO) as allies in the 2011 election campaign.  End summary. 
 
 
 
Trimming the government/Maintaining regional and political balance 
 
 
 
¶2.  (SBU) Rumors about an impending cabinet reshuffle have 
circulated throughout the DRC since mid-2009.  In the late evening 
of February 19, President Kabila finally put those rumors to rest 
when he ordered a reorganization of his cabinet (ref C).  The 
reshuffle trimmed the cabinet from 54 positions to 43, which, the 
GDRC alleges, will reduce state spending and simplify preparations 
for the 2011 elections.  Kabila has seemingly hedged his bets for 
re-election by keeping all of the ruling coalition's components in 
the GDRC.  Katanga and Bandundu Provinces have the most posts, with 
eight each.  This balance roughly reflects Kabila's traditional 
strength in the east and Prime Minister Muzito's influence in the 
west (Note, the provincial breakdown, including the prime minister, 
the new presidential chief of staff and security advisor is: 
Katanga, 8; Bandundu, 8; North Kivu, 7; South Kivu, 3; Equateur, 6; 
East and West Kasai, 6; Orientale, 3; Maniema, 3; Bas Congo, 2. 
End note.) 
 
 
 
¶3.  (SBU) The Kinshasa press presented a predictable partisan 
insight on the reshuffle.  Pro-government L'Avenir noted that the 
downsized cabinet was tasked with improving living conditions, 
implementing a zero-tolerance policy toward corruption, and 
reaching the completion point for the HIPC (Heavily Indebted Poor 
Countries) initiative.  Both the independent Le Potentiel and 
pro-government L'Observateur opined that the downsizing of the 
cabinet reflected a willingness to enhance the government's 
effectiveness and curb expenditures.  However, not all analysts 
agreed that the reshuffle was a positive step. The moderately 
independent La Reference Plus called the reshuffle "a non-event," 
while pro-opposition La Tempete des Tropiques argued that 
recruiting "bland ministers" would not have any impact.  A striking 
contrast was provided from pro-government Forum des As which 
commented that "the expected tsunami did not even produce the 
shadow of a storm." 
 
 
 
Muzito stays in office and even strengthens his position 
 
 
 
¶4.  (SBU) The biggest winner in the reshuffle was Prime Minister 
Adolphe Muzito.  Many observers had expected his departure from 
government but Muzito remained, apparently retained by Kabila to 
allow him to move forward with plans, which have generally been 
applauded by donors, to bring the DRC to HIPC completion point (ref 
A).  He also appears to have convinced Kabila that his Unified 
Lumumbist Party (PALU) is an indispensable coalition partner for 
2011 elections.   As further evidence of Kabila's willingness to 
stick with Muzito, the new Ministers of Finance and Budget are 
trusted confidants of Muzito.  The new Finance Minister, Matata 
Ponyo, is from Kabila's ruling party while Budget Minister 
Jean-Baptiste N'tahwa is from PALU.  (Bio note: Ponya was the 
 
KINSHASA 00000039  002 OF 003 
 
 
president of BCECO -- Central Office of Coordination -- a GDRC 
implementing agency created with World Bank assistance to 
coordinate international financial assistance for GDRC programs in 
the public enterprises, public administration, and population 
sectors.  N'tahwa was previously the Secretary General of Budget. 
End bio note.) 
 
 
 
¶5.  (SBU)  Another surprise was the retention of Francois Joseph 
Mobutu Nzanga, son of the late dictator Mobutu Sese Seko, in his 
position as Deputy Prime Minister.  He was also made Minister of 
Employment, Labor, and Social Welfare.  Unlike the previous cabinet 
in which Deputy Prime Ministers did not have ministerial positions, 
the new cabinet gives each DPM one ministry, a ploy that it made it 
possible to reduce the number of ministers.  Mobutu's continued 
presence in the government is also a signal that Kabila does not 
intend to jettison Mobutu's party, the Union of Democratic 
Mobutuists (UDEMO) from the ruling coalition before the 2011 
elections.  (Note:  UDEMO is not a major political force but its 
inclusion in Kabila's coalition is deemed important nonetheless 
because it symbolizes reconciliation between Mobutu's and Kabila's 
fathers, whose armies fought one another for decades.  UDEMO is 
also one of the few parties based in the western Congo that 
supports Kabila.  End note.) 
 
 
 
¶6.  (SBU) In yet another surprise, Adolphe Lumanu Lulenda, formerly 
Kabila's chief of staff, was promoted to the position of Deputy 
Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior, arguably the most 
important job in the new cabinet after the Prime Minister.  This 
move surprised many observers because of Lumanu's status as someone 
without a political base.  Lumanu is also embroiled in a scandal 
resulting from press reports he sexually assaulted the ambassador 
of Canada.  Gustave Beya Siku replaces Lumanu as presidential chief 
of staff.  A native of Lubumbashi, Beya was most recently the Vice 
Minister of Energy.  A law professor at Kinshasa University, Beya 
has also served as legal advisor in several ministries, including 
Economy, Industry, Trade, and Agricultural and Rural Development. 
He is rumored to be close to National Assembly President Evariste 
Boshab, a staunch Kabila supporter. 
 
 
 
Kasongo is out 
 
 
 
¶7.  (SBU) The departure of influential Vice-Minister of Mines 
Victor Kasongo surprised many observers, particularly within the 
international community.  Kasongo's departure could impact, perhaps 
positively, U.S. investor Freeport-McMoRan's ongoing negotiations 
with the GDRC on its mining concession, the only contract still 
under negotiation under the GDRC's review of sixty-one mining 
contracts initiated in 2007.   A credible rumor has it that 
Kasongo, who is reportedly Kabila's cousin, ran afoul of Augustin 
Katumba, a close Kabila advisor, because of meddling  in the 
contract dispute negotiations.  (Note:  We understand that Kasongo 
has not been abandoned in the political wilderness but will soon 
become the head of a parastatal enterprise.  End note.) 
 
 
 
Biggest loser:  the CNDP 
 
 
 
¶8.  (SBU) The biggest surprise of the reshuffle is that neither the 
National Congress for the Defense of the People (CNDP - a Tutsi-led 
rebel group) nor any other former armed group received any posts in 
the government reshuffle, despite an understanding  by many in the 
CNDP that Kabila had given tacit assurances he would reward the 
militia for its decision to lay down arms by naming CNDP members to 
the next government.    In effect, in a February 22 press 
conference, Philippe Gafishi, President of the CNDP, claimed the 
new cabinet configuration did not comply with the March 23 peace 
accords.  He softened his displeasure by stating that the CNDP 
would not resume fighting in spite of their lack of a ministerial 
post.  The CNDP was not the only armed group upset by the cabinet 
reshuffle.  Didier Bitaki, leader of the Mai Mai Kifufua group, 
 
KINSHASA 00000039  003 OF 003 
 
 
threatened to take up arms again if they did not receive 
representation in the government.  Information Minister Lambert 
Mende rejected the statement as blackmail, adding that the only 
legitimate way to gain a seat in the cabinet was by forming a valid 
political party and joining a coalition.  He further pointed out 
that the CNDP has gained positions in provincial governments and 
was therefore not completely shut out of government.  (Note: 
Bitaki's reaction to the new cabinet is classic Congolese political 
theater.  Even though the national armed forces have little real 
military capacity, it is unlikely any armed group except the CNDP 
would be willing to resume fighting on a pretext so minor as a 
failure to receive ministerial appointments for its members.  End 
note.) 
 
 
 
¶9.  (C) Some observers speculated that the absence of CNDP members 
in the new cabinet revealed the indifference of the Rwandan 
government in ensuring that Tutsi brethren in the Congo were taken 
care of.  In fact, rumors have circulated that Kabila vetted his 
new cabinet with the Rwandans but this has not been confirmed. 
Regardless, Kabila clearly feels no need to reward the CNDP at this 
time and in fact may want to signal to members of the former rebel 
movement that he is displeased over some CNDP soldiers' misconduct 
after recently integrating into the Congolese armed forces (FARDC). 
 
 
 
 
Other changes 
 
 
 
¶10.  (SBU) Other important changes include the promotion of Cesar 
Lubamba, previously Vice-Minister of Finance and now Minister of 
Urban Planning and Habitat.  Ferdinand Kambere received a lateral 
promotion from Minister of Labor to Minister of Social Affairs. 
The new Minister of Health, Victor Makwenge Kaput, previously held 
the same position prior to the October 2008 government reshuffle. 
It is uncertain whether this will be a positive development for the 
health sector as he is the subjection many allegations of 
corruption.  The Ministry of Justice absorbed the Ministry of Human 
Rights, although there is speculation that a new State Secretary 
for Human Rights may be created. (Comment:  This move should 
elevate the issues of human rights to a more powerful ministry, 
hopefully leading to a more significant engagement on the part of 
the government.  On the other hand, the NGO community has already 
protested the change, citing the Minister of Justice's apparent 
unwillingness to work with civil society.  End comment.)  The 
Vice-Minister of Defense, one of the least known individuals in the 
previous cabinet, was removed. 
 
 
 
¶11.  (C) Comment:  Overall changes between the old cabinet and the 
new are few in number, suggesting Kabila will look to form a broad 
coalition for the 2011 elections.  The long wait for the reshuffle 
and the seemingly minor changes reflect Kabila's deliberate and 
cautious approach to politics.  Overall, the new economic team, 
under the direction of Muzito, appears well placed to continue the 
effort towards the HIPC completion point.   The absence of the CNDP 
in the government may be more of a non-event, despite its 
vociferous complaining (ref B).   The CNDP holds important 
political, military, and economic positions in North Kivu, where it 
interests in power dynamics lie.  We therefore do not expect the 
CNDP to do more than verbally protest their exclusion from 
government.  End comment. 
GARVELINK