Joseph Kabila continues to over-equip his regime militarily for the upcoming political deadlines

By Jean-Jacques Wondo Omanyundu

In DRC, since early March 2018 we have witnessed a level of political hype, as if the elections planned for 23 December 2018 had become inevitable and certain. However, Joseph Kabila has clearly remained steadfast in his adherence to the principle that politics are best decided by the use of force to dominate one’s adversaries. The electoral process serves only as an alibi for him to distract public opinion and lull the international community into complacency. The ultimate goal is to present the world with a fait accompli: “I’m here, I’m staying, and this will continue as they did before” because in most Subsaharan African states power is obtained and maintained out of the barrel of a gun.

Realizing that the result of a credible and transparent electoral process would lead to Kabila’s and his regime’s political disappearance, , no serious evidence can demonstrate today that Joseph Kabila is preparing to organize a civilized and democratic alternation on power at the end of a presidential election to which he will no longer be able to stand.

On the contrary, all the acts posed by his regime tend to reinforce the thesis of a ploy of his indefinite maintenance in power. The millions of dollars spent on lobbying in Israel (DESC has obtained the entire contract with the Israeli parastatal Group MER, in the US and in France, which continues to support Kabila in terms of security, suggest that Kabila will never organize the presidential election in the DRC. The narrowing of the space of democratic expression, characterized by a very violent repression of all forms of contestations and the neutralization of his fiercest opponents, is a sign that Joseph Kabila won’t give up power, and as one of his military collaborators, General Delphin Kahimbi, Chief of Staff for Military Intelligence (Ex- Demiap ) says  : ”   We came to power by force. For those who want an alternation in power, it is not by the agreements or by the elections even less in the peaceful demonstrations that they will obtain it. They just have to do as we did”.

Thus, for the Kabila regime, no doubt in view of the ver-militarization and over-armament: they are preparing the perpetuation in power of the out-of-mandate President Joseph Kabila.

Israel increasingly present in the security sphere of Kabila

Although the DRC has not, strictly speaking, official and structured bilateral military cooperation with Israel, DESC found that since a few years, the Kabila regime continues to benefit from direct and indirect support from Israel. It is particularly in the telecommunications sector, complementary training of Congolese civil and military intelligence officers, and the formation of members of the Republican Guard in anti-guerrilla urban techniques. Here is the field of the relations between the two countries.

This is done through parastatal, private companies or via business figures such as the Israeli businessman, Dan Gertler whose mafia activities behind his companies (Caprikat and Foxwhelp) in DRC were recently sanctioned by the US Treasury Department.

There is also collaboration between the Kabila regime and the Israeli state-funded semi-public company, MER Group Security, and other private companies such as Israeli private security firm Beni Tal Security (BTS).[1]

Indeed, BTS had delivered to the Congolese presidency in 2014 about 250 armored vehicles PVP (small protected vehicle) brand Plasan Sand Cat [2] for Republican Guard units in Kinshasa and Lubumbashi. The same Israeli firm also supplied light weapons such as the Negev and Tavor machine guns as well as 81mm and 120mm mortars. In the lot, there is also a large amount of plastic helmets, bullet-proof vests as well as various secure transmission equipment (encrypted). In the field of military telecommunications, BTS has delivered listening material and electronic surveillance, which are to interception of telephone communications and video devices.

In addition, MER Group Security, which receives public funding from the Israeli government, is currently at the center of Joseph Kabila’s political-diplomatic lobby in the United States. This lobbying aims at allowing him to stay in power by circumventing the Constitution. Currently, MER Group Security is outsourcing with the powerful US lobbying group Sonoran Policy Group (SPG) to conduct its advocacy work for Joseph Kabila. SPG describes itself as a company of “global private diplomacy”, lobbying the DRC in Washington as a subcontractor of Mer Security and Communications Systems, an Israeli firm. According to Robert Stryk, SPG’s founder, quoted by politico, SPG plans to help the Congolese government coordinate counterterrorism efforts with Washington and ask the administration of President Donald Trump to open an advanced operational base in the country. SPG, according to politico, has links with former staff members of the campaign of US President Donald Trump. SPG has hired as chief of intelligence Daniel Hoffman. He is not an amateur in the field of lobbying. Daniel Hoffman is a former Chief of Station with the Central Intelligence Agency. His combined 30 years of distinguished government service included high-level positions not only within the CIA, but also with the US Military, U.S. Department of State, and U.S. Department of Commerce.
Stryk is close to Lewandowskito Corey Lewandowski, Donald Trump’s former campaign manager who remains active with other Trump campaign advisers in his informal entourage. SPG will certainly have more access to the White House to try to influence President Trump in favor of Kabila.

On the military side, MER Group Intelligence provides military telecommunications equipment and Internet communications interception systems for Congolese military intelligence and the National Intelligence Agency, the Congolese civil intelligence service. It is worth remembering that the head of the ANR, Kalev Mutond , and his deputy, Roger Kibelisa, are subject to EU sanctions for serious violation of human rights and illegal arrests. These two services depend directly on the presidency of the DRC.

In addition, MER Group Intelligence deals with the training of Congolese intelligence officers and the supply of communications equipment for the Congolese army, such as the GP 3801 radios and the Iradium satellite phone. Finally, MER Group Intelligence is currently developing a project to install radar surveillance stations on the DRC’s borders.

More recently, Motorola Israel has delivered to the Republican Guard military equipment not notified by the supplier countries to the United Nations Security Council in accordance with the DRC arms embargo resolution. These are mainly the ANC-PRC-150 1200-piece handheld encrypted radio and 3600 pieces of AN/PRC-148 portable multi-band tactical radios. These communications equipment, being delivered and endowed to gradually replace old radios such as the GP-360, GP-340, G-380 as well as Kenwood radios of South African manufacture become defective and obsolete.

The AN/PRC-148 portable tactical radios supplied by Motorola Israel are intended for the FARDC while the AN/PRC -150 will equip the GR.

China is not the rest

A strategic ally of the Kabila regime since the famous Chinese Leonine contracts in 2007, China also remains a major supplier of military equipment to the Kinshasa regime. Indeed, the People’s Republic of China is the only Asian partner to date committed to supporting FARDC reform. The reform plan provided for the partnership with China, notably in the construction of a new FARDC Headquarters, in the acquisition of individual equipment and the acquisition of weapons and ammunition. It is possible that arms exchange agreements against mineral resources were also signed in the acquisition of FARDC military equipment.[3]

The Chino military mission is based in Kamina where it forms, since September 2008, two brigades of 4,500 men each: a commando brigade and a mechanized infantry brigade. On 12 August 2017, the Kamina military base in the Haut-Lomami province celebrated the ceremony of taking up arms of the 32^nd Rapid Reaction Brigade, called Kwata (brutal in Lingala or seizing in Tshiluba ), trained in 18 months by Chinese and Congolese instructors, thanks to the Sino-Congolese military cooperation concluded   in 2008. Other soldiers of the same brigade, the promotion called Ninja are being trained at the same base.

Other Chinese cooperants are in Banana where they are engaged in the rehabilitation of naval base facilities as well as Shanghai 2 escorts. They are coastal patrol boats bought at the time of Mobutu but deteriorated. On the 8 units available at the time of FAZ, only 2 are operational. The Chinese are also restoring other patrol boats.[4]

The Chinese firm Chinese Technology Company has delivered, during the month of February 2018, a dozen drones PHANTOM type DJI observations whose main mission is the aerial surveillance of major cities such as Kinshasa, Lubumbashi and Goma. These drones are managed by the FARDC Air Force Intelligence Directorate and under the direct supervision of General Delphin Kahimbi.

Serbia and Belarus   : the major suppliers of military equipment of the Kabila regime

Serbia has a defense partnership with the DRC. This partnership includes the training of Congolese military personnel and troops, the delivery of military equipment and exchanges of military delegations between the two countries. Several senior FARDC officers regularly travel to Serbia. The main suppliers of military equipment are the Serbian firms Zastava arms and Mile Dragic Production. They work directly with the military office of the DRC presidency, without going through the Department of National Defense.[5] Yet the defense was consecrated by the Congolese Constitution, a field of collaboration between the Head of state and the government accountable to the Parliament.[6]

Another Serbian society CPR IMPEX DOO delivered in favor of the GR, via the port of Boma, a batch of 22,000 assault rifles M-92 5.56, 120 anti-aircraft guns M-55 20 mm that are all warehoused at the Kibomango logistics center, the exclusive strategic military store of Joseph Kabila, since early March 2018. The Serbian armament company PRIVI PARTIZAN, during the first quarter of 2018 (January-March 2018), delivered via the ports of Boma and Matadi, about 5,000,000 different cartridges for the M-70, M-92, AKM, M-84 machine gun. These new ammunition stocks are stored at Sonankulu base camp (in Mbanza-Ngungu, Bas-Congo) and the Mbakana presidential military logistic base at Bandundu.

The Serbian company YOGOIMPORT-SDPR provided at the end of 2017 fast river patrol boats PREMAX -39 and and coastal patrol boats of medium-size Nestin-classe medium-sized assembled in Kalemie. These patrol boats were used against Mai-Mai Yakutumba’s assault on Lake Tanganyika in November 2017. Finally, the Serbian company Mile Dragic Production delivered from August 2017, about 3 million rubber bullets of 5.56mm; 7.62mm and 9mm for the exercises and the maintenance and restoration of public order as well as 25.000 equipment M-12 for the Republican Guard (bulletproof vest and Kevlar helmets) as well as 120.000 equipment M-97 and M-99 for the FARDC (bullet vests + kevlar helmets).

On the side of Belarus, besides the delivery of certain military equipment to the FARDC, it forms since 2013 pilots and technicians of the Congolese air force for a period of three years.[7] The Belarusian Arms Export Company BELTECH Export delivered in early 2018 four L-39C training planes that can also be armed for the training and retraining of Congolese pilots. These four training planes were delivered via the Ndjili military airport, but are destined for the Kamina base where new warehouses are being finished. The same firm also delivered FARDC fighter aircraft Sukhoi-25K and Sukhoi-27 flanker C.

Ukraine, despite its conflictual situation, remains one of the major providers of military equipment to the Congolese army

There is no formal bilateral military partnership between the DRC and Ukraine. However, Ukraine remains a major supplier of military equipment to the DRC alongside China, France and the United States. According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), since 2000, most of the Ukrainian-made arms, ammunition and weapons supplied to the DRC come from Ukraine, according to the UN register of conventional arms and SIPRI data, as indicated in table below[8].

For example, according to our sources inside FARDC, 60 T-55 type tanks were delivered by Ukraine and the Czech Republic to the DRC in 2006 and 2010. In addition, Ukraine would also sold to DRC 110 T-72/80 tanks delivered between 2009 and 2011. An additional 220 modernized T-55m/b battle tanks purchased in Ukraine were reported to have been delivered in the DRC between October 2012 and November 2013. 120 armored personnel carriers (ATV), BTR-60/70/80 have also been provided by Ukraine.[9]

Ukraine has provided on 6 March 2010 to the DRC, 100 T-72M1 type tanks, 100 trucks, thousands of weapons and ammunition, according to a document sent to the United Nations. Apart from the battle tanks and transport trucks, the DRC has received 10,000 ammunition for tanks, 60 anti-aircraft machine guns, 10,000 Kalashnikov-type assault rifles and several hundred thousand ammunition of various types.[10] In the same year, Ukraine delivered to the DRC 36 120-caliber 2S11 shells   mm, 12 multiple rocket propelled Grad BM-21 caliber 122   mm, 30   T-55 tanks, 12 multiple rocket launchers BM-21, 12   self-propelled towed guns 122   mm, 12   self-propelled towed guns 152   mm, 36   Howitzers D-30, 3   mortars of 82   mm and 4   Mi-24 B helicopters.[11]

On February 17, 2014, Ukraine’s first defense group, Ukroboronprom , announced that it has signed a contract to deliver 50 T-64BV-1 type battle tanks valued at around US $ 100 million hryvnia (about 11.5 million US dollars) in a foreign country that the company has not identified. But the Russian news website Lenta.ru said that these tanks will be delivered to the Democratic Republic of Congo. This tank is an upgraded version of the Soviet-designed T-64 tank.[12]

The military partnership with Egypt

Egypt and DRC signed military and training agreements in 2010 during the visit of President Kabila in Cairo. The Republican Guard troops are the mainly recipients of the training provided by the Egyptians. 250 instructors from the Egyptian presidential guard stayed in the DRC in 2014 to form the units of the GR in the fields of artillery, armored vehicles, anti-aircraft defense, anti-terrorism, maintaining and restoring public order (MROP). This information was confirmed to us by a source from EUSEC-DRC, but from the international community, the Congolese authorities mentioned only training in artillery.[13]

Egypt, in collaboration with Russia, regularly supplies weapons and ammunition materials to the FARDC. Thus, large quantities of tear gas were purchased at the end of January from the Egyptian firm KADER FACTORY FOR DEVELOPMENT INDUSTRIES, following the virtual exhaustion of stocks available after demonstrations in late December 2017 and January 2018. These tear gas were sent to Kinshasa by planes Iliouchine 76 Candid.

Conclusion

Kabila is not amassing all this lethal military arsenal to peacefully control the demonstrations or to secure the eastern part of the DRC, which is beset by more than 120 armed groups. These weapons are well intended to “pretorianize” his regime whose drift dictatorial becomes very disturbing. Ignore this fact of the political constancy of Kabila, in the quest for solutions to its effective departure from power, would be the biggest mistake that the Congolese and the International community  should no longer commit.

Moreover, the only plausible hypothesis that would push Kabila to organize the elections would be to organize only the legislative elections with a tailor-made electoral law and the disputed voting machines to help.[14] He would dismiss the presidential election because of the non-respect of the electoral calendar, because of the enlistment of the Congolese of the diaspora. That would give him a parliamentary majority which will allow him subsequently to all lock up after putting the counters to zero. In 2015, I warned that Kabila was planning to slip first at least until 2018. This was achieved without much difficulty because his tanks, his weapons and his judiciary were easily put in contribution to neutralize the popular and political disputes. According to diplomatic sources from SADC, Joseph Kabila’s objective, through his diplomatic actions with the AU, SADC, ICGLR, France and the United States, is to remain in power at least until 2020, arguing the technical delays to organize the presidential election. He seems to be about convincing the external partners of the DRC. It is not for nothing that some allies of Kabila advise him to chase MONUSCO after March 2020.[15] You are warned!

Jean-Jacques Wondo Omanyundu

Jean-Jacques Wondo Omanyundu is an expert and analyst on political and security issues in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Middle Africa. He is a graduate of the Hautes Etudes de Sécurité et de Defense of the Royal Higher Institute of Defense, a graduate of the Royal Military Academy (Belgium), holding a Master’s Degree in Criminology from the University of Liège and a postgraduate degree in political science of the Free University of Brussels. Wondo has worked for several years as a criminologist in the criminal justice sector in Belgium.

Main publications

He is author of two books devoted to the Congolese army: The Armies in Congo-Kinshasa. Radioscopy of the Public Force to the FARDC (2013) and the Armed Forces of DR Congo: An irreformable army? (2014). He is the author of several articles published mainly on DESC, a site focused mainly on issues related to the defense and security of Congo and its region.  

Annex   :

List of companies that supply weapons and military communications equipment to the Kabila regime

1. MER Group Intelligence, Israeli firm: supply of telecommunications equipment military and communications interception systems; training of Congolese intelligence officers; installation of radar surveillance stations at DRC borders; lobbying the US government to keep Kabila in power.
2. Beni Tal Security (BTS) , Israeli security firm: supply of PVP (small armored vehicles); provision of Negev and Tavor machine guns; supply of mortars, supply of encrypted transmission equipment, listening equipment and electronic monitoring.
3. ChineseTechnology Company, Chinese firm: supply of PHANTOM DJI type observation drones.
4. ZastavaArms , Serbian firm: Supply of military equipment and training of FARDC’s military officers.
5. MileDragic Production, Serbian firm : supply of military equipment and training of military personnel.
6. CPR IMPEX DOO, Serbianfirm: supply of M-92 assault rifles and M-55 anti-aircraft guns.
7. PRIVI PARTIZAN, Serbianfirm: Supply of 5 million cartridges of ammunition for assault rifles M-70, M-92, AKM rifles and machine guns M-84.
8. YOGOIMPORT-SDPR, Serbian firm: provision of fast river patrol boats PREMAX-39 and medium-sized coastal patrol boats Nestin-class.
9. BELTECH Export, Belarusiancompany: supply of four L-39C training planes that can also be armed; supply of Sukhoi-25K and Sukhoi-27 flanker F fighters.
10. Ukroboronprom, Ukrainianfirm which provided several battle tanks type 50 T-64BV-1 (improved version of the T-64 tank design and Soviet anti-tank missiles KAKOM C-8).
11. KADER FACTORY FOR DEVELOPMENT INDUSTRIES, Egyptianfirm: supply of weapons and ammunition, as well as repression equipment of civilians (teargas grenades).
12. China North Industries Corporation (NORINCO)[16] is a Chinese company that has signed a contract with the DRC presidency during the official visit of President Joseph Kabila to China in September 2015. To ensure the proper execution of the contract, the Chinese company NORINCO GROUP set up and opened an office of Representation in Kinshasa led by a Chinese subject speaking French very well, named Xavier Liu. He is a former officer of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) and a great friend of Brigadier General Gaston Ilunga Kampete, commander of the GR. The latter is also a sinophile (trained at the school of APL armor application in Shanghai).
13. The ZimbabweDefense Industries (ZDI), a company specializing in the manufacture and supply of military uniforms and ammunition for local and international markets.
14. YarmoukIndustrial Complex (YIC): established in 1994 and inaugurated in 1996 is a branch of the Sudanese National Armament Company Military Industry Corporation. Between 2007 and 2015, it supplied the FARDC with small caliber ammunition, bombs, shells, rockets and missiles. It also produces light weapons as heavy weapons with the technical assistance of the Chinese (Norinco) and the Iranian (Defense Industries Organization).
15. Thales Communications & Security: French multinational specialized in C4I (Command, Control, Computer, Communication and Intelligence) products and systems for secure information and communication for the armed and security forces. Thales signed a contract with the DRC presidency which provided for delivery to a very small group of security close associates of Joseph Kabila to Tetra phones with new encrypted numbers.
16. TheSYT Technologies firm based in Nîmes, France.  This French company specialized in the field of vision applied to the areas of prevention, Civil Security and the military, has signed with the DRC presidency a contract for the purchase of a batch of a “Tarys” (short and medium range) infrared and “Séraphin” (long range), for the benefit of the FARDC.
17. Motorola CommunicationsIsrael Ltd.: Founded in 1964, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Motorola Inc., a US-based multinational electronics company, which reported revenues of $ 42.9 billion in 2006. Motorola provides products and integrated communications systems C4I (Command, Control, Computer, Communications and Intelligence), mobile and stationary, wireless and online, for all market sectors – governmental, institutional, commercial and domestic. Motorola Israel has just delivered to the GR a series of military communications equipment.

References

1. BTS: Beni Tal Security Companywas established in 1981 with the aim of providing a fast and comprehensive response to a wide spectrum of security-related fields. BTS works to create custom modular solutions to meet the customer’s needs and the specific situations and provides them with complementary services in the various departments and branches. The company operates in three divisions in Israel and an additional branch abroad, and serves clients from the private, public and municipal sectors.
2. PlasanSand Cat is a composite armored vehicle designed by Plasan, Israel. It is based on the chassis of a Ford “F- series ” civilian SUV, whose wheelbase has been shortened to 2.84 m (112 in) by qualified Ford Motor mechanics. Company in Louisville, Kentucky, USA. Originally conceived as a potential alternative to Israeli jeep’s “AIL Storm” IDF forces, it has since been developed in many versions, weighing from 4 to 6 tons and carrying up to 8 soldiers. These armored vehicles are designed to be mine resistant ( Mine Resistant Ambush Protected   : MRAP) or Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) and ambushes. These types of vehicles have been used by the United States in Iraq and Afghanistan and by Israel in the Gaza Strip, Palestine) to deal with urban violence.
3. Joseph Cihunda Hengelela, « Intégration de la République Démocratique du Congo à la SADC : Traité, domaines de coopération et perspectives d’avenir », notes.
4. Jean-Jacques Wondo O., Les Forces armées de la RD Congo : Une armée irréformable ? -Bilan – Autopsie de la défaite du M23 – Prospective, Auto-édition DESC, Aalst, Octobre 2017, p.168.
5. Jean-Jacques Wondo O., Les Forces armées de la RD Congo : Une armée irréformable ? -Bilan – Autopsie de la défaite du M23 – Prospective, Auto-édition DESC, Aalst, Octobre 2017, p.173.
6. Exposé des motifs de la Constitution du 18 février 2006, modifiée en janvier 2011 : « Bien plus, les affaires étrangères, la défense et la sécurité, autrefois domaines réservés du Chef de l’Etat, sont devenues des domaines de collaboration.

Cependant, le Gouvernement, sous l’impulsion du Premier ministre, demeure le maître de la conduite de la politique de la Nation qu’il définit en concertation avec le Président de la République ».

7. Jean-Jacques Wondo O., Les Forces armées de la RD Congo : Une armée irréformable ? -Bilan – Autopsie de la défaite du M23 – Prospective, Auto-édition DESC, Aalst, Octobre 2017, p.173.
8. http://www.amnesty.org/fr/library/asset/AFR62/007/2012/fr/945abed9-67da-4a3f-aef4-5dbce4ae9381/afr620072012fr.html.

9 Jacques Wondo O., Les Forces armées de la RD Congo : Une armée irréformable ? -Bilan – Autopsie de la défaite du M23 – Prospective, Auto-édition DESC, Aalst, Octobre 2017, p.169.

10. http://www.armyrecognition.com/defense_army_military_world_worldwide_news_2010/mars_2010_ actualit_s_d_fense_arm_es_militaires_industries_salons_internationale_informations_monde_f.html.

[11] Jean-Jacques Wondo O., Les Forces armées de la RD Congo : Une armée irréformable ? -Bilan – Autopsie de la défaite du M23 – Prospective, Auto-édition DESC, Aalst, Octobre 2017, p.173.

[12] http://www.defensenews.com.

[13] http://afridesk.org/inedit-apres-setre-appuye-sur-lue-sur-recommandation-de-poutine-kabila-se-tourne-vers-legypte-pour-2016-desc/, 17/09/2014.

14.  https://information.tv5monde.com/afrique/video-machines-voter-en-rdc-mise-en-garde-de-seoul-229683.
15.  https://www.voaafrique.com/a/kinshasa-souhaite-le-retrait-definitif-des-nations-unies-en-2020/4330588.html.
16. China North Industries Corporation (NORINCO) is a giant enterprise group operating in both products and operations, integrated with R & D, manufacturing, marketing, and services. NORINCO mainly deals with defense products, petroleum and mineral resources exploitation, international engineering contracting, optoelectronic products, civilian explosives & chemical products, sports arms & equipment, vehiclesand logistics operations, etc. NORINCO has been ranked among the forefront of China’s 500 largest state-owned enterprises in terms of total assets and revenue. NORINCO faces up to markets and strives for the development of high-tech defense products. NORINCO has demonstrated the solid strength of Chinese national defense industry and technology in precision demolition & annihilation systems, amphibious attack weapons and equipment, long range suppression, anti-aircraft & anti-missile systems, information & night vision products, highly effective assault & destroy systems, small arms and anti-terrorism & anti-riot equipment … http://www.cccme.org.cn/shop/cccme0012/index.aspx .