Anxious calls from London drew my attention to this Guardian article: Congo faces danger of new civil war as opposition rejects election result.
Apart from a rather sensationalist headline, it seems to confirm most of yesterday’s rumours, painting them in a bleak light. Yes, all the ingredients are there for sparks to fly, but somehow the naturally glum Congolese are displaying the most cheering optimism, and this morning life continues as normal.
Apart from a rather sensationalist headline, it seems to confirm most of yesterday’s rumours, painting them in a bleak light. Yes, all the ingredients are there for sparks to fly, but somehow the naturally glum Congolese are displaying the most cheering optimism, and this morning life continues as normal.Photo accompanying Guardian article: A Congolese soldier loyal to presidential hopeful Jean-Pierre Bemba in Kinshasa. Photo: Jerome Delay/AP
If you read between the lines, the big unknown is Bemba’s position. So far he has not subscribed to the accusations made by his political allies, but nor has he refuted them. I was also interested to read that “diplomats say Mr Kabila has already offered Mr Bemba the post of prime minister but he turned it down”. Another one for my rumour vs. news ponderings of last night.
“Rumour does not always err; it sometimes even elects a man.”
-- Tacitus, Agricola (IX)
Here are some more pictures from the media – since I haven’t been able to take my own!
If you look in the background, you see a police officer being man-handled, while in the forefront his colleague runs away!
Notice the 'mundele' (white guy) taking cover.
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