Radio Trottoir

I had a moment of panic at dawn this morning when I thought it was later than it was, and that the customary Monday morning bugle had not occurred. I wondered with a start if the bugler was among the six-to-twelve policemen (depending on who you talk to) who were killed during last week’s gunfight. At that point, I didn’t yet know that a further twenty (?) lie wounded in hospital. But no, about an hour later the familiar tune – if you can call it that – began. Mixed feelings, if I’m honest, but the silence and its significance would have been far worse than the tinny sound of the bugle, even at 6am.

I am told that a number of policemen were kidnapped and tortured by Bemba’s men (increasingly referred to as Bemba’s militia). Is this true? But why? Because they are seen to be at Kabila’s service? I am told of a disturbing AFP report according to which some of the policemen killed were found to be wearing a black Presidential Guard uniform under their blue police uniform. If this is confirmed, it will spell big, big trouble for the police who will become targets themselves. I am told that Bemba’s men have tapped into the police radio system and are constantly sending messages of hate and death threats. It’s surprising that the under-paid ($10 per month), under-valued police bother to show up for work at all!

On a lighter note, I am also told that Chalupa, the only white candidate to run for deputy, who distinguished himself for his original campaign slogan: “Why not?”, has been elected in his Kinshasa constituency. The long-term, weathered expatriates are very chuffed – see, the Congolese don’t hate us ‘mundeles’ (whites) after all! So they vote for a white deputy, but reject Kabila because he is not Congolese enough. One of the many ironies that make this country.

As you can see, in the total absence of reliable news from either the national or international media, I am reverting to the time-tested, well-known Congolese favourite means of information: Radio Trottoir (Radio Sidewalk), more prosaically known as gossip.