MONDAY, 8.00AM
SOUTH AFRICAN Deputy President Thabo Mbeki was the first foreign leader to visit new president Laurent Kabila yesterday, and the first foreign leader to recognise the new Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Mbeki, accompanied to Lubumbashi by Defence Minister Joe Modise, said South Africa wants assurances from Kabila that he would keep his word on democratic transformation. “We are satisfied with the steps that are now being taken,” he said.
In Kinshasa, thousands of Mobutu soldiers tied white ribbons around their heads and voluntarily handed in their arms at rebel camps, despite jeering by crowds of civilians they had abused for years. The soldiers, who had not been paid for months, are hoping for a better deal from Kabila.
The rebel takeover was relatively disciplined, but there were occasional acts of brutality. Journalists watched as one of the surrendering troops was beaten with an ammunication belt, then shot dead in front of the crowds. Journalists also reported seeing crowds dancing around a fire containing the bodies of seven soldiers — some of whom had been burnt alive.
Mobutu is himself is reported to have narrowly escaped the rebels. A rebel company reached his home village in northern Zaire, where he had fled on Friday, earlier than expected. On Saturday night he hastily fled in a cargo plane, under rebel fire. He flew first to Togo, one of the few countries to support him to the end, and from there to Rabat, in Morocco.
Back home, his mansions and palaces were quickly looted by the crowds. His son Kongulu, reported to have murdered the army chief when he refused to resist the rebels, attempted to fly to Gabon — but was refused permission to land. He is now said to be in Brazzaville.
Laurent Kabila has promised to form a government of National Salvation by today, and a constituent assembly within two months. Speaking from his headquarters in Lubumbashi, Kabila announced the suspension of the transitional constitution and the dissolution of institutions set up under that constitution.
THE Congo government, which remained friendly with the Mobutu regime, was quick to welcome the Kabila government and dismiss the Mobutu regime. Senior minister Stephane Bongo-Nouarra said on Sunday: “Mobutu Sese Seko used dictatorial methods by setting up the Special Presidential Division in charge of suppressing the people and by ignoring other army corps.”