DRC: opposition leader challenges Tshisekedi’s M23 negotiations
Kamitatu accuses President Tshisekedi of prioritizing M23 talks over inclusive dialogue
- Politics
In a sharp rebuke delivered during a live broadcast with journalist Stanis Bujakera Tshiamala, Olivier Kamitatu — chief of staff to opposition leader Moïse Katumbi — questioned President Félix Tshisekedi’s negotiating strategy. Kamitatu argued that Kinshasa’s focus on talks with the M23 Alliance in Doha comes at the expense of addressing the country’s deeper political divisions.
“It is clear the President feels more comfortable engaging with the M23 than uniting Congolese voices,” Kamitatu stated. He emphasized that without a comprehensive national dialogue involving all stakeholders, any peace agreement will remain fragile and unenforceable.
He pointed to the failure of existing initiatives, noting that only two out of eight expected protocols — including ceasefire and prisoner exchanges — have been signed, and even those are not being implemented.
“The Congolese people have overcome greater divisions through dialogue and consensus. We must return to that path.”
Kamitatu criticized the government’s selective approach to peace talks, calling for a return to the inclusive framework proposed by religious leaders through the CENCO and ECC, which has yet to be adopted by Kinshasa. He warned that without genuine national reconciliation, lasting peace will remain out of reach.
