President Joseph Kabila: «The president is fine.»

© afrol News / French govt

afrol News, 11 June - Presidential guards this night took control over state broadcasters in central Kinshasa in an attempt to stage a coup in Congo (DRC). As they proceeded to the residence of President Joseph Kabila, troops loyal to the President managed to thwart the coup, according to the Kinshasa government.

Congolese Information Minister Vital Kamerhe today said that there had been "a coup attempt" by rebel soldiers in the Congolese capital this night, but that loyal troops were now in full control and order had been re-established. Also President Kabila was in good shape and had not been injured during the gun fighting close to his residence.

Kinshasa residents this night could hear gunfight and heavy artillery being fired in central areas of the city and from military bases outside the centre. This morning, Kinshasa has been flooding with troops loyal to the President, involved in cleaning-up operations.

The rebel soldiers, described as renegade presidential guards, at 02:30 (local time) this night took over Kinshasa's state radio and television broadcaster. They made an announcement, saying the transition government had been "suspended" and that they had taken over control of the country. The announcement however was heard by few people.

From the state broadcaster, the rebel unit had headed towards the state electricity utility, switching off power supply for Kinshasa residents. The city was without electricity for about three hours.

Finally, the rebel troops went on to the presidential rebels, obviously planning to take President Kabila by surprise. Here, however, they met heavy resistance as armed fighting broke out. The rebels did not manage to enter Mr Kabila's residence. Meanwhile, troops loyal to the government retook the state broadcaster. The rebel troops finally were surrounded and arrested in the Tshatshi military base, just outside the city.

According to the Congolese government, the coup attempt was led by Major Eric Lengue, who also was said to have made the rebels' broadcasted announcement. Expect for Major Lengue's announcement, saying the current transition government had "failed", no further explanation has been given to the background of the coup attempt.

The alleged "failure" of the Congolese transition government is however seen in connection with the events in the eastern city Bukavu. Here, government troops and UN peacekeepers last week lost the city to rebel troops, raising doubts over their ability to safeguard the country's fragile peace and provide security.

Last week, protests were staged all over the country and UN installations have been attacked and looted. Crowds were angry that neither the government nor the UN could fulfil the many promises of peace and security. This week, however, as the rebels left Bukavu, government troops have retaken the eastern city.

The transition government nevertheless has lost much credibility during the Bukavu affair. It is composed of Kabila loyalists, several ex-rebel militias that control the northern and eastern part of the country and some Kinshasa political parties. This power-sharing government later on is to organise elections.

Instability has been the norm since Laurent Kabila, the incumbent President's father, toppled the Mobutu dictatorship in 1997 in a military coup. He was himself killed in a coup attempt in 2001, leading his son, Joseph Kabila, to take power. Since June 2003, he shares powers with the transitional government. The last coup attempt in Kinshasa was only in March this year.

By staff writers

© afrol News

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