Profile of Paul Marie Mpouele: the rise and fall of the bright hope of Congolese opposition

Paul Marie Mpouele: he is a young and also an ambitious politician.   Along with Paolo Benazo, Kevin Joseph Diafouka, Evrad Nangho and Dorian Cherryl Mpassi Samba and others who have not yet reached their notoriety, they are the rising stars in the Congolese political industry.  I call it an “industry”, because, in Congo, most Congolese think that, the only area or “business sector”, where they can get rich fast, is in the area or sector of politics. Hence, most young Congolese wants to become politicians or go into politics. And their attraction into politics is so strong that, today, most political leaders in Congo are a people without convictions. All they want is money or to get rich fast.

Mega treachery

Furthermore, the most frightening thing is that, even the younger generations are following the fickle political footprints of their elders.  But as you will discover, until the mega anti government rally of September 27^th 2015, happened, Paul Marie Mpouele was a force of inspiration to many young Congolese and young men and women of his generation within the central African sub region. Everyone credited the success of that mega anti government meeting to him, for he was the coordinator of a youth platform created by elders of the opposition and given to him, the young dynamic Paul Marie Mpouele. It was his political battle of Trafalgar. And the good thing is that, he won. But it also turned out paradoxically that, the mega anti government rally, which propelled him to the zenith, also exposed his mega treachery and thus, he met his political waterloo. His meteoric rise ended like a meteor. He exploded.  Sadly, as you will read at the end of this profile, Paul Marie Mpouele has turned out to be the greatest disappointment of his generation. He epitomizes a generation of young Congolese, who seem to love pleasure and who have an insatiable lust, doubled with a culture of immediacy. They might turn out to be worst than their elders. At least, their parents, some of them, at least could boast of having resisted the French by opting for Marxism, while most of French-speaking Africa  were attracted or were pulled toward Gaullist France-Africa, this led by the likes of Houphouet Boigny,  Ahmadou Ahidjo or Albert Bernard Bongo who later become known as Omar Bongo. But what can a fraction of young Congolese show, when they can’t fight the dictator called Denis Sassou Nguesso? Interestingly, not everyone or should I say, not every young Congolese is Paul Marie Mpouele.

   

Biblical characters

Paul Marie Mpouele is the combination of two biblical characters. Namely: Esau, who sold his birth right and Judas Iscariot who betrayed Jesus Christ.  Before the above, this was how I presented or wrote about Pau Marie Mpouele, that, I knew and was witness of his torments in the hands of the savage Congolese Police, headed by the assertive and also the unapologetic    war criminal called, General Jean Francois Ndenguet. It is a pity that, Paul Marie Mpouele could not resist the pull of money from the government. However to his discharge, I think, it is primordial for all those supporting pro-democracy movements and activists around the world and in Africa in particular, to try and make them to be beyond want. For I know from experience that, it is very difficult for any man or woman, who is hungry to have any virtue or  to be able to resist for long the attraction or pull of corruption from the government. On the other hand, I am of the opinion that, unless one has not made up his or her mind, he/she must not chose to be a pro-democracy activists or an independent journalist in Africa or in  most third world countries.  For I am of the opinion that, only fools do change their minds, because before taking any decision, one has to think of all the consequences and there is an English adage which says: think, before you leap. You don’t leap for you think.

Consequences of pro-democracy activism

Therefore all those popular claims or sanctimonious declarations to discharge or protect indecisive people that: only fools don’t change, is wrong, for those us who have chosen pro-democracy activism, know full well the consequences. If one changes course in the struggle, then, he/she had not taken or made thorough introspection. The most and ultimate sacrifice that pro-democracy activists are almost always certain to receive in Africa is death. Others which are equally devastating are family breakup, poverty, ungratefulness, treachery and loneliness.   There are always the temptations to betray or to be betrayed and it is at par with the possibility of being killed by brutal regimes such as those of Congo Brazzaville. How many times have Paul Marie Mpouele been beaten, arrested, humiliated? The last one that, I saw, but the date and the year, I have forgotten, was when he was stripped naked in front of the Brazzaville University Teaching Hospital by Police men instructed by General Jean Francois Ndenguet. But he seems to have forgotten all that. Perhaps, he did not have sufficient moral and financial support from his elders within the opposition. But do they have anything themselves?

People of virtue and Social media

However, within the old corrupt political class or those whose only means of livelihood is politics, there are some honest and loyal ones, who will continue the struggle, come what may, they  will continue to soldier on in defense of human rights, democracy and against corruption and dictatorship. And one of them is Clement Mierassa.  There are certainly many others, however, Clement Mierassa, is a symbol of courage and probity within the Congolese opposition. The above mentioned names or people are also all popular. But Kevin Joseph Diafouka, Evrad Nangho and Dorian Cherryl Mpassi Samba are mostly popular on the web, whereas, Paul Marie Mpouele and Paolo Benazo have been able to transfer their virtual or online popularity on the ground or in the real world of Congolese politics with different fortunes.  Before General Jean Marie Michel Mokoko,who today have been able to transfer social media popularity into the real world, it was Paul Marie Mpouele and Paolo Benazo. However, their transfered popularity remained around Brazzaville and Pointe Noire and also among young people between the ages of 15  and 35. But General Mokoko remains the only politician within the central African sub region who has been able to harness social media popularity with that of the real world and also straddling the young and the old and men and women . Before him, the examples that we had came first from Howard Dean  and then, the greatest success story of the role of social media in the creation or fabrication of a political figure was Barack Obama in the US. However, Dorian Cherryl Mpassi Samba is growing in popularity, especially since his arrest some two to three days before the March 20^th 2016 presidential elections. He is the founder or initiator of social media forum on Facebook called: “Debat Citoyen: Tolerance et Respect: Exprimon nous”. His popularity is also the creation of social media.

Different paths

Dorian Cherryl Mpassi was arrested because he dared criticize the conducts of the pre-presidential elections.  Paul Marie Mpouele and Paolo Benazo began their political trajectory together. They have now chosen different paths, similar to what happened in Ivory Coast between Ble Goude and Guillaume Soro. The first won for a while, whereas, the second’s own victory was laborious. However today, he (Guillume Soro) is savoring the victory of loyalty and risky political gamble on the side of Alassane Dramane Ouattara. He is currently the speaker of the Ivorian parliament, while Ble Goude is in jail at The Hague. However, while waiting to see who will laugh best or last, between Paolo and Paul Marie, it seems that, it is Paolo who is wining, and this sounds like the 1958 bet, between Felix Houphouet Boigny of Ivory Coast and Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana.

Kwame Nkrumah versus Félix Houphouet Boigny

Both leaders loved Africa but differently. Paolo Benazo and Paul Marie Mpouele are both patriotic Congolese with deep interest in politics. The first (Felix Houphouet Boigny) believed in an Africa that must be allied to France, whereas the second (Kwame Nkrumah) believed in an Africa that counted and relied first on itself, before counting on others. And for a while, the first was winning, but at the end, it was the second who won or who made the rightful choice.  Today, thanks to Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana is a stable democracy and amongst the best performing economies on the continent, while Ivory Coast in spite all its glitters, is still very much dependent on France. Ivory Coast’s future is attached or dependent on what happens in France, whereas Ghana’s future might be uncertain, because she is young and still finding its feet politically and economically. But Ghana, unlike Ivory Coast, have the certainty, depending on what and how Ghanaians wants their country to be. Ghana shows or symbolizes confidence in the capacity of black people to manage things on their own, than to be dependent on people who have no respect or consideration for black people, in spite some of their smiles or pretensions to the contrary. I don’t know who is going to be the Felix Houphouet Boigny or the Kwame Nkrumah of Congolese politics between the two rivals.  And the most puzzling now is that, now that, they have both chosen by default the same trajectory, I am afraid, they will both end up like Felix Houphouet Boigny, dependent on France  or in this case, dependent on Denis Sassou Nguesso.

  

Former youth leader

Mpouele is( was, because he has since been suspended) currently the coordinator of an organization known in French as le Front Republicain Pour le Respect de L’ordre Constitutionelle et L’alternance Democratique 2016 or in English: Republican Front for the Respect of Constitutional Order and Democratic Change 2016, abbreviated in French as FROCAD.  Before assuming that function, he was first the leader of the youth wing of l’Union Patriotique pour le Renouveau National, or the National Patriotic Union for Renewal of Mathias Dzon, abbreviated in French as UPRN. As the youth leader of UPRN, he was harassed, humiliated and thrown in jail on several occasions by the Police of General Jean Francois Ndenguet. After UPRN, Paul Marie Mpouele flirted with Roger Nzaba and his PPC party and later on, they(Paul Marie Mpouele) created the PJP along with the rising political professional who is non other, than the formidable Paolo Benazo. The taciturn and determined young man is also a force to be counted upon in Congo now and in the future.  His courage and loyalty to the opposition in spite the difficulties created by the government and opportunities offered him by the same government to carpet cross, is a quality worthy of praise in a country where politicians are known to be fickle. Although he is a political maverick within the opposition, he has the meritto be amongst those who are fighting against injustice and are promoting democracy in a country, where there is selective openness and selective democracy.

Judas Iscariot

But in spite all the praise aforementioned, Paul Marie Mpouele has turn out to be the Judas Iscariot of the opposition. I don’t know whether it is out of poverty that he  betrayed or whether, he had been hiding his true self for such as long time and as such, has betrayed too many pro-democracy activists. Questions now needs to be asked about all the phony arrests that had taken place within the pro-democracy rank, before his exposure. Was he the mule ?In fact, Paul Marie Mpouele’s action supports what I have always sadly thought about most civil society oppositions and political  leaders of the opposition in the Congo: old and young. Remember, he was the coordinator of an organization known in French as le Front Republicain Pour le Respect de L’ordre Constitutionelle et L’alternance Democratique 2016 or in English: Republican Front for the Respect of Constitutional Order and Democratic Change 2016, abbreviated in French as FROCAD. In reality, he became the coordinator after he brought in money to finance the mega opposition rally of September 27^th 2015.

What most opposition leaders, namely: Mathias Dzon, Claudine Munari,Clements Mierassa, Guy Romain Kinfossia, Okombi Salissa,  Pascal Tsaty Mabiala, Guy Brice Parfait Kolelas and all other members the opposition, did not know was that, their mega meeting was financed by the government through General Jean Francois Ndenguet and Colonel Thomas Bakala Mayinda.  And it was Paul Marie who was the middleman. What Paul Marie Mpouele told other members of the opposition was that, the money that, he brought to finance the mega anti government rally, was given by the French government, to help them to oust Denis Sassou Nguesso from power.  And it was where the English adage: he who pays the piper dictates the tune aptly applied. He he brought the money, he was given the coordination or leadership of the movement. And it was also exactly what, the government had been long looking for, a mole within the opposition. When he was confirmed as leader of the aforementioned coalition, he went and confirmed his betrayal the opposition to both General Jean Francois Ndenguet and Thomas Bakala Mayinda. It is not known whether, he gave up himself  easily or  whether he was attracted through other means.  Such as family ties or through a woman or women. What is certain is that, he became a mole within the opposition. It is reported within the opposition circle that, General Jean Francois Ndenguet and Colonel Thomas Bakala Mayinda gave him a phone that, he always turned it on, whenever there was a meeting of the opposition. Members of the opposition claim that, Paul Marie Mpouele had two mobile phones and a third was given to him by General Jean Francois Ndenguet and Thomas Bakala Mayinda and it was that third phone of treachery that, he always brought with him and turned it on whenever he attended meetings with his erstwhile friends.

In so doing, the regime was aware of all the plans that, the opposition had. As already mentioned, Paul Marie Mpouele was the one who brought money to sponsor the anti government rally. But his sponsors, the government through: General Jean Francois Ndenguet and Thomas Bakala Mayinda never knew that, the anti-government rally was going to be successful. When the September 27^th 2015 rally of the opposition was successfully held, the government and his sponsor: General Jean Francois Ndenguet and Thomas Bakala Mayinda panicked. They discovered that, they have created a monster out of their pride, ignorance and failed intelligence gathering, to have known that, Congolese were fed up of Denis Sassou Nguesso. Congolese opposition only lacked the financial means to drive away Denis Sassou Nguesso from power. General Jean Francois Ndenguet and Colonel Thomas Bakala Mayinda   had to use Marie Mpouele again. This time around, in a reverse role, he was the one that, the government used to cancel follow up meetings through communiqués that were read on the state owned media. Paul Marie Mpouele, who was the enemy number one of Jean Francois Ndenguet, became close to his enemy and the state media, especially the national TV called Tele Congo, suddenly allowed him to be the guest of programmes.

Poor Paul Marie Mpouele  who was not able to eat, suddenly bought a brand new RAV 4 SUV popular known in Congo as “merci Monsieur”. RAV 4 SUV, is car bought by most corrupt politicians in Congo to their mistresses after having taken them to Dubai and opening them a boutiques upon their return in Brazzaville. It is a good car, but with a bad reputation in Brazzaville. Paul Marie Mpouele was also able to pay communiqués on private Televisions stations to break the momentum of the anti government protests. He did not know how to hide his treachery, for he suddenly began acting like most nouveau riche. However, the man in the opposition who discovered the double game of Paul Marie Mpouele was Andre Okombi Salissa. But the opposition was ashamed to expose him, because the population would have known that, they were poor at intelligence gathering. Paul Marie Mpouele acted as the biblical Judas Iscariot, by selling the opposition to the government. Paolo Benazo had always told me that, Paul Marie Mpouele was not a serious person, I never believed him, until his treachery was exposed by Andre Okombi Salissa. He is suspected to have sold the opposition for the sum of FCFA 80 million, excluding the sum that, he contributed in the hosting of the most successful anti-government rally in Congo since 1997.

Paolo Benazo: Profile of a young Congolese politician

Paolo Benazo. He means many things to many people and his detractors’ calls him a shameless traitor, while some even go the extra mile to refer to him as a pedophile.  While I don’t know why he is referred to as a pedophile, I do nonetheless consider him as the “L’Enfant terrible” of Congolese politics. I don’t know exactly how old he is, but he looks every young as at 2014, when I met him. He was and is still to me the best thing Congolese politics have produce recently. This is because he is full of controversies and drama.  His life is already a novel. Behind his very thin, frail, boyish and sheepish looks, hides a formidable political wolf. He has the spirit of a fighter that takes no prisoner and he also seems adventurous. A good politician in my opinion must have an ideology, an objective and also a spirit of risking taking.  Paolo Benazo has all those qualities in him. I have met with Paolo Benazo twice in 2014. The first time was in the company of Kevin Joseph Diafouka. On that day, I noticed that, he spoke very little, while Mr. Diafouka was running his mouth. And one other thing that caught my attention was that, while his friend Kevin Joseph Diafouka was telling him how he wanted to get rid of the current old and corrupt political elite and also that he wanted to have a debate with them.

However Paolo Benazo instead told asked me meekly that: “if you could organize a debate between me and the leader of the youth wing of the ruling party, Juste Bernadin Gavet, I will be very happy”. I sensed that, he had targets and objectives to attain and operated like a political sniper. Paolo Benazo cut his teeth in the treacherous political Congolese political water as a member of a political party called Partie du Peuple Congolais or Congolese People’s Party abbreviated in French as PPC. This party was chaired by a young Congolese businessman based in South Africa called Roger Nzaba. He was the spokesman of the party. This party was transformed on the 29th of March 2014 into Ressemblement des Jeunes Patriote or the Rally for Young Patriots, abbreviated in French as RJP by Paul Marie Mpouele, its national chairman. In transforming or renaming of PPC into RJP, Roger Nzaba was overthrown as chairman and it was a coup d’etat, which bore the hallmark of the one who became its principal ideologue, Paolo Benazo. However one year later, he resigned from RJP to create a new political party with some friends, namely: Kevin Joseph Diafouka and Evrad Nangho. That was on the 22^nd of February 2015 and they called it Movement des Democrates Congolais or Movement for Congolese Democrats, where he is the secretary general.

Another thing that differentiates Paolo Benazo from other young Congolese politicians or aspiring politician is that, he always has a political ideology or orientation. The current political party that he is the secretary general abbreviated MODEC and that he is also the ideologue is a social-liberal oriented party. But the third and final observations made about Paolo Benazo is that, whenever he joins a political party, he makes an effort to be given a strategic position that also has authorities and not prestige. He has all the traits of the old guards but young with an unparalleled Sinicism. He is ready and able to use any means possible to attain his goal. His strength lies in the fact, most of his political friends and rivals seems to underestimate him because of his calm and somehow naïve demeanor. Paolo Benazo has worked  for the  Congolese National Commission on Human rights abbreviated in French as CHDH at the computer department and currently, he works at the Congolese National Commission for the Organization of Elections or in French: Commission National d’Organisation des Elections abbreviated in French as CONEL as an administrative attaché for the 3^rd vice chairman .

He registered in 2007 as student at the Marien Ngouabi University in Brazzaville to study Physics and Mathematics, but left in 2008 for South Africa where he spent 6 years and came back with a degree in Electronics. It is not known or clear in which South African university he obtained his degree. He is a force to be counted upon in Congolese politics and cause célèbre on Facebook through his salacious lifestyle and Congolese politics is truly very salacious. It looks more like a combination of a Nollywood and Telenouvellas film where power, betrayal, sex and money reigns supreme than proper political   ideological debates.

General Philippe Obara: Profile of the head of the Congolese Intelligence Service

General Philippe Obara:  is the head of the Direction de la Surveillance du Territoire abbreviated in French as DST or in English, the Congolese Intelligence Service.  This tall skinny eyeglass wearing man is one of the most feared people within the Congolese security apparatus. For with their boss Jean Dominique Okemba, General Jean Francois Ndenguet and Colonel Alphonse Obouande, they form the “dreaded four”.  They are believed to be the men used by President Denis Sassou Nguesso not only to intimidate but also to terrorize the population.  They constitute the bulwark of the regime’s formidable repressive apparatus constituted also of Colonel Serge Oboa and General Nianga Mbouala Ngatse. But contrary to the three others earlier mentioned, he is not a fanatic.  He knows how to say no and is also afraid of international law, hence he is procedural in the way he does or discharges his duty. General Philippe Obara is a very secretive man who doesn’t like to be photographed. But that could be described as an extraordinary quality from a Congolese top ranking personality. For most of his colleagues with the same rank are not discreet or humble, for their names are song by DRC musicians regularly  and they often than not, make headline news for salacious matters or financial improprieties than for  what they are expected to deliver.  

Perhaps General Philippe Obara is a professional and discreet soldier because, he knows his job and understands that, one of the rules for the intelligence service is discretion. Although he is a professional, is nonetheless still feared and not respected, partly because, the Congolese security services are not known to defend or protect the citizen. They are mostly known for their disgusting human rights abuses and Philippe Obara wrongly and rightly, competes in the sub conscience of many Congolese with General Jean Francois Ndenguet in their real or imaginary level of cruelty. The difference between General Philippe Obara with General Jean Francois Ndenguet is that, while people are just speculating on the allege crimes of the first, the second is a fanatical and an assertive criminal, whose numerous atrocities makes him an excellent material for the International Criminal Court at the Hague. In short, General Philippe Obara is every inch different from Jean Francois Ndenguet. First he doesn’t brag and he also commands some respect and have some ethics, whereas Jean Francois Ndenguet has none.  Although most Congolese talk and even hate General Philippe Obara, a majority, has never seen him. Hence they will be unable to identify him on the road, should they come across him. But it was this man, dreaded by the population, in particular by members of the opposition and pro-democracy activists, who invited me and who also told me during our meeting on the 26^th of May 2014 that, he was different from all other Police officers having the same rank and influence in the country.  

I didn’t understand the reason why he was telling what he told me. Was he trying to send me a message? That, I can’t tell.  As latter mentioned, the first time that, I met him, and I came to see on his h invitation. He invited me because, on Friday the 23^rd of May 2014, I hosted in my programme called La Grande Interview, a Congolese lady called Flore Barros Tchikaya. This poor lady, who has been rendered handicapped by a Lebanese by name Mohamed Hossein Hoji, was suffering alone, with no one besides Joe Washington Ebina, helping her. He was touched and profoundly affected by the ordeal of that Mrs. Tchikaya had gone through, to a point that, he promised to arrest the Lebanese man.  And it was something that, he did. Mohamed Hossein Hoji, the Lebanese man who had paralyzed Mrs. Tchikaya was arrested in Pointe Noire and flown to Brazzaville and detained. He was detained on the orders of General Philippe Obara in the cells of the DST in Brazzaville for 60 days.  And on the day that, he wanted to free Mohamed Hossein Hoji, because it seems he could not do anything, he called me and asked that, I should come and see him in his office. General Philippe Obara invited me for the second time in his office in order to explain to me the reason why he wanted to free Mr Hoji, the Lebanese man who had mutilated a Congolese girl. I found that action of him humbling, for it was rare for top ranking personality in Congo to give respect to a journalist as General Philippe Obara had given me.

He said: if this country and in particular our services do have corrupt officials, you have today met and seen one, who is not corrupt at all. He went on: I have been accused of several atrocities that in reality are not true. And whenever I want to take or make decisions, I do it honestly and in a humane way. He went on: Even to President Denis Sassou Nguesso, when he is sometimes manipulated by some within our services, I have the courage to tell him the truth.  President Denis Sassou Nguesso knows me very well.  He continued: When Marcel Nstourou that I understand is your friend, was brought here for reasons that, you know, he was not maltreated, as claimed. He is a senior army officer that I know and I also know that, he deserves respect due to his rank, even though? I don’t approve nor support what he did.   

I can assure you that, contrary to what I had read in newspapers, Colonel Marcel Nstourou, were properly treated while here. Then he concluded: there are other high profile prisoners from the DRC and Angola, who are  detained here .And whenever any of them falls sick, they are  treated here or taken for medical treatment abroad, if their disease or illness is serious.

I saw in him on that day, a humane face that, I had never heard of or never knew and more, expected such a humane conduct, from a man dreaded by Congolese with sometimes imaginative stories about his cruelty making rounds in the country. General Philippe Obara also added: What happened to Colonel Marcel Nstourou, who is supposed to be your friend, was unfair. But regarding your friendship with him, I can’t confirm whether he is your friend simply because, I don’t know whether Colonel Marcel Nstourou was really your friend, or simply, a person that you admire. But I can assure you that, while Colonel Marcel Nstourou was here, he was treated well and with utmost dignity. Philippe Obara’s attitude toward Flore Barros endeared him in my heart, because this was a lady, who has been rendered handicapped by a Lebanese, simply because she had refused or rejected his sexual advances. And because Mohamed Hossein Hoji is well connected to the powers that be in the country and nothing has happened to him.

General Philippe Obara is a man who is be amongst the security pillars of the country's political orientation, received me in his office and showed me a humane face seldom shown to most Congolese. It is certain that, the Congolese security must certainly have other professionals such as General Philippe Obara, but sadly it difficult to find or see those in such a rank.  For the Congolese security services has been transformed by the President and supported by Jean Dominique Okemba in a bid to maintain the regime and its clan in power, hence most are acting in an inhumane manners. General Philippe Obara after justifying the reason why he was freeing the Lebanese man, asked me to look for lawyer to revive the case of the handicapped Congolese. He told me that, he will be the one to foot the bill of the lawyers that, I will find and who will be able to revive the Flore Barros Tchikaya case. General Philippe Obara might be heartless or rude, when it comes to the defense and support of the regime, but he is humane and this positive aspect needs to be pointed out. This also shows that, if the system was democratic, there are certainly many people within the system such as Philippe Obara who can act within the framework of the rule of law. General Philippe Obara is a testimony that, within the rotten security system of Congo where there is great human rights violations or where journalists are expelled  just for doing their job or where opposition party leaders and civil society activists are arrested in wonton manners, there is a glimmer of hope. For as earlier explained, he takes his time before acting.  He had wanted to help revive the case of Miss Flore Barros Tchikaya, but I was expelled on the 26^th of September 2014. And Miss Tchikaya has become an ordinary handicap and her son can’t go to school anymore.

Sylvestre Ossiala MP: Profile of a brilliant open minded politician

Sylvestre Ossiala MP: he is a Member of Parliament for the Talangai 3 electoral district, for the ruling PCT party. Talangai is a neighborhood located in the north of Brazzaville. Mr Ossiala is a brilliant open minded person, who claims that, he wants to modernize the country. But how does he want to modernize the Congo? That is where the problem the problem begins, for how can an MP belonging to a party that has ruin a country and destroy a generation pretend under the same banner to change a country that, his party has helped destroy? Perhaps the answer is found in this book in titled in French: «L’action économique de Denis Sassou Nguesso: force et faiblesse» or in English: The economic achievement of Denis Sassou Nguesso: its advantages and weaknesses.   However, his only problem with his modernization drive is that, he wants to perpetuate the reign of the ruling PCT party and also of President Denis Sassou Nguesso and his clan. He belongs nonetheless to a group of young intellectuals within the ruling party, whose ambition is to steer the party away from its old fashion of doing politics and governing. 

Contrary to most of his colleague, he is not a great fan of China. He is pro-western and admires liberal democracies such as those of the United States, UK and Australia. This simply means that, Sylvestre Ossiala and his friends who are in their early 50s might be the reformers within ruling party, who might become the fulcrum of change when the appropriate template is found. He is an economist by profession and one of his strong points or qualities are that, he is not afraid to express his opinions on the limitations and failure of the regime. Perhaps it explains the reason why he wrote the book mentioned above, which examines the economic actions of Denis Sassou Nguesso.  His detractors however claims that, his critical words toward the government and the ruling party that he is still a member are well planned strategies, meant to seduce and mollify, people who are not supporting the regime.

Those same detractors adds that, if he is not in accord with the regime, let him  show it by resigning  to join the opposition, for no matter hard are his criticisms of the regime, his is remains one of the strong supporters of the ruling party and of President Denis Sassou Nguesso. Regarding those accusations, Ossiala’s response is that, the fact that, he has the liberty to express his views is a sign that, there is democracy within the ruling party. I met him on the 10^th of July 2014 in his large and beautiful residence, located at the Mpila neighborhood of Ouenze, north east of Brazzaville. He was the one who called or invited me, but, his invitation was through Joachim Mbanza. Mr Mbanza is the publisher of La Semaine Africaine, the oldest newspaper in Congo and also one of the oldest newspapers within the central African sub region. It is owned by the Roman Catholic Church. Mr Mbanza is also one of the finest journalists in Congo. Ossiala’s desire to see me was simple. He wanted me to interview Mr Bonaventure Mbaya. And when we met, he did not go about browbeating, he told me straight forward on that day or should I say, that night this following: I want the constitution to be changed, in order to create the posts of Vice president and Prime minister. 

The strange thing in his statement was that, it was the same ideology shared by Bonaventure Mbaya. However, Mr Mbaya made his point known to me and Congolese on the day that he was the guest of my TV programme: La Grande Interview. Toward the ambition of changing the constitution of Congo, Ossiala, was working in tandem with Bonaventure Mbaya. The irony was that, Bonaventure Mbaya was officially, member of the opposition. Sylvestre Ossiala’s plan or marketing strategy prior to the officialisation of constitutional change, which came into actualization, one year after, was to tell people, all what they knew and hated from the regime. Most Congolese knew that, the current regime is not only tribal but it is glued in unspeakable nepotism. Hence, they wanted it to go or leave. It was an extraordinary attractive marketing point, but having said that, he does not want the regime to be change or be replaced. But what he suggested or was marketing was a change of the constitution for a new one that would permit all parts of the country to feel or be part and parcel in the running of the country or have a share in the national cake. Unfortunately for him, his strategy was synonymous to pouring an old wine in a new bottle.  And Congolese were tired of Denis Sassou Nguesso and were just waiting to show him the door.

In his circumstantial populist speech to convince me, he told me that, the Mbouchis, which is the name of the ethnic group of the president, have taken over everything in the country and also that, his fight was not to be considered just as an isolated Congolese case.  He added that, his fight was that of Africa and Africans. He wanted governments to be more inclusive in their governmental policies. That is the inclusion of social measures that, might contribute in lifting a majority out of poverty, like what Lulu did in Brazil.  While he spoke well and could convince a naïve person, I noticed that day that, there was something that was missing. What he forgot was that, the most representative or inclusive governments are only those that are elected in free and faire elections. Thus accountable to the people, hence they can act as Lulu did in Brazil, but in Congo where elections are not free and faire, elected officials don’t care. Mr. Ossiala, who is Member of Parliament since 2002, was first an MP for the opposition RDR. Like most, he carpet crossed and joined the ruling PCT party.  

He doesn’t explained the reason why he carpet crossed and on that, I didn’t ask him, the reason why he left his former party for the ruling PCT.  Sylvestre Ossiala is married to two wives and has several children. He is currently the chair of the Economy and finance Commission at the national assembly. He is also a lecturer at the University of Marien Ngouabi in Brazzaville. Although he is bright, rich and sometimes courageous in his declarations, he does not have the courage to jump out of the ship of the ruling party that has helped him to become what he is today. That is the paradox that I have observed with many political elite in Congo. They hate what is going on within the system, but they don’t have the courage to say it openly. Whatever the case, he would still have a role to play in current and future regimes in the country unlike Pierre Ngolo.

Pierre Ngolo MP:Used and dumped by Denis Sassou Nguesso

Pierre Ngolo MP: he is the secretary general of the ruling Congolese Workers Party abbreviated in French as PCT. He became the unexpected secretary general of the ruling party by the wish of the president of the Republic who is the chair of the party. This happened in 2011, at the end of the extraordinary congress of the party, which also set the ground work, for the demise of the left leaning party created by Commandant Marien Ngouabi. Pierre Ngolo who is a secondary school teach by profession, was until his appointment as secretary general, one of the administrators at the national assembly and also a member of parliament for Ouenze. He took over from Mr Isidore Mvouba, who was the interim secretary general.  Because of the proximity of Isidore Mvouba to the president and also for the need to give or create a regional balance, many observers had thought that, Isidore Mvouba would be confirmed into the function of secretary general of the ruling party. And the fact that, Mvouba was not confirmed to the post of secretary general of the ruling party has made those same observers to conclude that, president Denis Sassou Nguesso did not have confidence in Isidore Mvouba, who is one of his most loyal supporters. The 2011 extraordinary congress of the ruling party which was held to nominate or chose the successor of late Ambroise Noumazalaye, who was the last charismatic and influential figure of the Communist oriented party.

Angling to lead

The 2011 extraordinary congress of the PCT had an impressive array of high profile candidates angling to lead one of the country’s biggest political formations. Those who wanted to succeed the late Ambroise Noumazalaye were: Rudolph Adada, former minister of foreign affairs and corporation and current minister of transport, Andre Okombi Salissa MP and former minister of basic education, Henri Djoumbo, minister of forestry economy and the then interim secretary general, Isidore Mvouba MP. Others who had nursed the secret plans to become secretary general were: Michel Ngakala, who is the current deputy secretary general in charge of organization and Senator Oba Aponou. The Irony in it was that, even though all those above mentioned were close allies of the president, none had the support of the president of the Republic. For the president is not only egocentric, he is a man who is very suspicious and yields easily to conspiracy theories. Furthermore, Denis Sassou Nguesso wanted at the head of the ruling party, someone that he could manipulate easily. In short, Denis Sassou Nguesso wanted someone who did not have any personality or national political ambitions especially that, he was already nursing plans to elongate his stay at the helms of the affairs of the state. Pierre Ngolo MP was therefore his wild cat pick for the post of secretary general and also an important link, whenever he will start strategizing to change the constitution of the country.

Roles of Pierre Ngolo

Pierre Ngolo played two roles on behalf Denis Sassou Nguesso. What is not known is whether it was willful or not. The first was that, Pierre Ngolo was used by Denis Sassou Nguesso in order to neutralize all the aforementioned ambitious friends of his. The second role that he was needed was to serve as a fuse and straw man at the same time. Denis Sassou calculated that, in case pressure from the international community was intense against his term elongation, his next plans was to call for an extraordinary congress of the ruling party, that will enthrone his son Denis –Christel Sassou Nguesso as presidential candidate in 2016. In this strategy, the president needed someone who is not strong willed and who has less political credibility and Pierre Ngolo, was the best pick.

Denis Sassou Nguesso & the 1989 UTA airliner bombing

In fact, President Denis Sassou Nguesso had never had plans to leave power and even in 1992, he conceded defeat to Pascal Lissouba simply because, he was under pressure from late President Francois Mitterrand,  following  Denis Sassou Nguesso’s alleged complicity  with Muammar Gaddafi in the bombing of French UTA airliner over the  Tenere desert in Niger in 1989. It is also reported within power circle in Brazzaville that, in the Libya and Chad   war over the northern Chadian territory of band Aouzou, Denis Sassou Nguesso was on the side of Libya.  And since Colonel Gaddafi was a friend of Colonel Denis Sassou Nguesso, Libya’s leader, decided to send Libyan terrorists or bomb experts to Brazzaville to plant a bomb in a UTA flight that was to fly to Paris via several African capitals. And one of the stops of UTA was Ndjamena, the capital of Chad. And in Ndjamena, President Hissene Habre had to board that plane because, he was going to Paris, France. The Libyan plan was that, the plane will take off and explode out of Chadian territory, killing in the process the Chadian leader who was viscerally opposed to Libyan expansionism and who had inflicted heavy defeats on Libyan forces.. Meanwhile  in Brazzaville, Denis Sassou Nguesso who had given his approval and supported the Libyan plan to kill Hissene Habre , did inform three Congolese of his plans. They were: Senator Oba Apounou, General Norbert Dabira and Auxence Ickonga, who was the third African director of Air Afrique.

However, since Auxence Ickonga was a friend to late President Mobutu, he (Auxence Ickonga) decided to inform Mobutu. And Mobutu in turn decided to inform Hissene Habre, asking him not board the UTA flight from Brazzaville to Paris via Ndjamena. On that, same flight, several Congolese lost their lives amongst them, the daughter of trade-unionist, Bokamba Yagouma. It also explained the reason why, Bokamba had a vitriolic anti Denis Sassou Nguesso approach in the 90s.  When the French discovered the implication of Denis Sassou Nguesso in the UTA crash, they decided not support him in 1992 against Pascal Lissouba. It was Paris own way to punish their protégé. It is also reported that, when Denis Sassou Nguesso discovered that, it was Auxence Ickonga, who leaked the secret to Mobutu, Auxence was allegedly poisoned by Congo’s president using a woman whose name can’t be mentioned here on.  

 Case De Gaulle

I have met with Pierre Ngolo, three times.  The first time was at the official home or resident of the French ambassador located in the southern neighborhood of Brazzaville called BasCongo. And the name of the official home of the French ambassador in Congo is called Case De Gaulle. The old colonial building that still has the burst of the French leader, is said to be where he spent some time, when Brazzaville doubled as capital of French equatorial Africa and also capital of the free France or in the French language: France Libre. At that time, France was occupied by Nazi Germany. On that day at Case de GAULLE, Pierre Ngolo was in the company of Michel Ngakala, the organizing secretary general of the ruling party. Immediately he saw me, he verbally attacked me or should I put it mildly, aggressively questioned. He told me: why do you hate us? I replied: I do not hate you or your party.  And I added: I work for the elder brother of the President. How come I will hate you or your party? I am only doing my job and nothing else. I concluded: what I want you people to do is to be closer to the reality of the people’ and when that, is done, you will see that, the PCT will govern Congo for about 71 years just as the PRI or the Revolutionary Institutional Party has done in Mexico.

Little mastery of international affairs

The PRI is a member   of the international Socialist whereas, the Congolese ruling party, the PCT, which is a left leaning political formation, is not a member. Furthermore, the membership of the PRI to the International Socialist movements dates back to 1910, which is the year of the Mexican Revolution. It also attests to the left leaning credentials of the PRI, a testimony that, the Congolese ruling party can’t show or justify.   According to the online dictionary Wikipedia, it was the 40^th president of Mexico by name: Plutarco Elias Callas; who was born on the 25^th of September 1877 and who died on the 19^th of October 1945, who in 1929 gave the PRI, it proper left leaning orientation, through his populist rhetoric. But I was surprised that, the secretary general of the ruling party, a left leaning party, whose slogan was everything for the masses, never knew what PRI stood for nor where it was located on earth or even if it ever existed. Pierre Ngolo’s reaction confirmed what I have always thought about those ruling Congo and also made me to be more circumspect about the academic and current affair capabilities. But I was nonetheless very happy, when he asked me in French: le PRI, c’est quoi encore M. le journaliste? Or in English: what is the PRI all about Mr Journalist? I replied: PRI is a long standing ruling party in Mexico and they had governed the country for 71 years.  

At some point, they lost, because they began a war against the Catholics and that war was called the Cristero war. From there, I confirmed within me that, the secretary general of the ruling party had little mastery of international affairs and I put doubts his Socialist credentials. What I noticed with Pierre Ngolo was that, he was arrogant and self confident because he knew he had the support of the president and cared very less about what the people said or thought about him or the party that, he was steering. I proposed or suggested to him that, I would like to have an interview with in my live TV programme called La Grande Interview. To which he did not accept, but only replied in French: pourquoi pas or why not in English.

The second time that I met with him was on the 25^th of March 2014, at 11am. It was a Tuesday. It was on the 4^th floor of the rented headquarters of the ruling party. I met him and we talked about my proposal made to him on Sunday March 23^rd at Case De Gaulle. But what I did for him, I had never done that, before with any of my guest. I wanted to show him that, I was not against him, the ruling party or the president as the destructive rumor mill have been churning out against me within the ruling party  in their plot to kill. I gave him a questionnaire and even told him the points on which, I will focus on should he accept to be the guest of my programme. I did as already mentioned, because I wanted to show him that, contrary to what they have been thinking, I was not against them. But it was a mistake as it turned out. What I had learn from my experience in Congo is that, you must be yourself no matter what people may say, especially when you know that, what you are doing is correct. Furthermore, mindful that, my programme was widely watched, I wanted to give them a positive image. 

Francophobia

But while I was in his office, what he first told me, after welcoming me in his office was this: you are here in my office with a diary from the French embassy. His reaction was because I was holding a diary and it was a gift that, the French embassy gave to many personalities. I am sure, that, he also had one. And he added: the French that, you so love are not only our enemy but the enemy of Africans. He went on: The French hate us. I found his reaction strange, for a senior member of a party that came to power through French support. It was unfair to have such francophobia.  From his reaction, I now understood where the rumor making rounds that, I was a French spy came from. In Congo, I had been labeled an agent of the CIA and also an agent of the DGSE, the French intelligence service. This name tag was prepared by some elite within the ruling party, whose aim was to blackmail, since they were afraid and did not like my way of doing investigative journalism. I saw firsthand what Jean Bruno Richard Itoua had told me. For Mr Jean Bruno Richard Itoua had told me and as already mentioned earlier that, Congo was a country of professional conspiracy theorists and specialists in blackmail.  That is, the strategy of destruction and smear campaign that was deeply ingrained the mindset of Congolese political elite. I also knew that, my character was destroyed beyond repair, but as the saying goes here: a dead person is not afraid of the coffin.  I was already a dead man walking in Congo because of my job.

Then it also down on me that, even though the ruling party was not affiliated to the International Socialist, it was still nonetheless a socialist and Marxist oriented party,  at it base and at as such, she was naturally inclined to  conspirationalist and character assassination. At the end of my meeting with Pierre Ngolo, we nevertheless agreed for a date for our interview. But it was very difficult to have him respect his own programme. It was thanks to the personal persuasive aptitudes of Arlette Soudan-Nonault, his former special adviser, who succeeded to him to accept or respect the promise that he had made to me. However, what really made him to accept to be the guest of my interviewing programme, called La Grande Interview, was a lie that I said to both him and to Mrs. Arlette Soudan-Nonault. I aware that both knew that, Pierre Ngolo had little or no legitimacy within the party, especially amongst party cadres. They both knew that, without the president of the republic imposing him, he stood no chance of ever getting at the top of the ruling party. I also knew that, he was the political foe of Isidore Mvouba, the former interim secretary general.

My lies or bluff paid off

I also knew that, they mutually hate each other to point that, they almost exchange blows during one of the meeting of the political bureau of the party. Mindful of all the above, I called him one day and told him that: I have waited for too long for you to grant me an interview. And since you have refused or not you are not interested, Mr Isidore Mvouba is ready to come and you must know that, after she speaks, your legitimacy will be gone. I also called Arlette Soudan-Nonault and repeated what I had said to Pierre Ngolo and she exclaimed and told me: never mind, he will come.  While she had little or no respect for Pierre Ngolo, she hated Isidore Mvouba equally. However, she had never told me why she did not like Isidore Mvouba. My guess is that, she was not certain of Isidore Mvouba’s loyalty to the president who is also her uncle. She thinks that, her uncle must still rule the country because, there a still a lot of old wounds that needs to be healed before he leaves. She told me that, in case the president leaves power, the country will be plunged into another civil war. What she failed to say was that, it is also because most dictators have wiped around them and within the country any form of competence and credible opposition, is also the reason why after them, there is always  chaos. But what is interesting is that, my lies or bluff paid off. He accepted and came for the interview on condition that, it should be a recorded programme. I also accepted and that was the second concession that I did for them and which I had never done to others.

Null and void

But the interview revealed that, he was like most cadres of the ruling party. Null and void He was cut off from the reality of ordinary Congolese. He never knew or never had figures of jobs created since 2009, the year, when their candidate now president was re-elected on the promise of massive job creation. The reality was that, besides civil service jobs, they had created nothing. Unemployment and poverty was high. The health and education system broken and even culture an area where Congo used to excel was moribund. He was the secretary general of a party that did not even pay staff who worked with them.  The interview exposed the ruling party to a point that, Jean Michel Odzocki, former minister of sports and official spokesman  for the ruling party came over to me after the interview and pleaded that, I should carry out some editing on places where the secretary general made monumental gaffs. I accepted. And it was the third concession that I made to the ruling party because of the intervention of Mr. Odzocki, who was a former journalist by profession and also a friend. I did all this to prove to them that, I was not hostile to them but it did not save me when they decided to attack and gang raped my younger sister and also expelled me when I wanted to protest. I have learned from my experience in Congo that, you must be yourself.

When you are sure that, what you are doing is correct, don’t change course in spite criticism or pressure. This is so because, your critics have already made up their minds no matter how you change to please them, they won’t change. Pierre Ngolo is a proud man whose accession at the head of the party is related to the desire of the president to have someone who is docile and manipulative. It is not based on merit nor for the well being of the ruling party. It is the desire of a president who contrary to appearance doesn’t seem to stand challenges and doesn’t entertain unpredictable people. It might be good for his personal ambition but inimical to the party and also the country. As for Pierre Ngolo, he has no future, for he is not charismatic and he is also devoid of any personality. Under him, the ruling party can’t win nor grow. But he doesn’t care. After all, he did not lobby for the post. All he is interested in is the prestige that comes with the post.

Jean Baptiste Ondaye: profile of an honest,taciturn and hardworking man

Jean Baptiste Ondaye: He is the secretary general at the Presidency of the Republic. I have met him a number of times and I also noticed that, he is a taciturn and hardworking man. He is perhaps the most honest and well behaved close collaborator of the president of Congo. He has worked at the ministry of Planning under Pierre Moussa. Mr Moussa is currently the head of the Commission of the Economic Community of Central African States abbreviated in French as CEMAC. At the ministry of Planning, Jean Baptiste Ondaye has held all posts of responsibilities before falling apart with Pierre Moussa, his former boss. And when they fell apart because the centre could no longer hold, to paraphrase the Nigerian author Chinue Achebe, he went on a forceful sabbatical in his home town. He only came back to Brazzaville, when he was appointed to the post of secretary general at the Presidency of the Republic.  According to sources close to his former ministry, what made Jean Baptiste Ondaye to  leave the ministry of Planning, was because, he refused to support a FCFA 61 billion embezzlements plans, planned by Pierre Moussa. The sum to be embezzled was a floating investment budget that Pierre Moussa wanted to divert, but it was opposed by Jean Baptise Ondaye. He is one of the rare Congolese political elite, close to the president of Congo, who is able to give positive appraisal of a person who is not a member of the ruling PCT party or who doesn’t support the President.  

It simply means that, he is bold, honest and objective in an environment that is fraught with people who are dishonest and hypocritical. He is capable to make the distinction between partisan observations and honest appraisals. To support my claim that he is bold and honest, he once told me that, Mathias Dzon was one of the most brilliant civil servants in the country and a technocrat who has a profound mastery of his profession and files. His honest appraisals of Mathias Dzon stroke me positively and changed my entire perception on how I considered him. For in country where to slander and blackmail, especially someone like Mathias Dzon is the rule and not the exception, it was refreshing to have met a technocrat, who has not been eaten up of by the shenanigans inherent of politicians in Africa and in Congo in particular. In case President Denis Sassou Nguesso stays in power, as he certainly wants to, he would certainly be amongst the new blood or central figures, needed to change the salacious, corrupt and lazy image inherent with Sassou Nguesso’s ministers and close collaborators.  Some of whom have being working handling ministerial posts between two and three decades with the president. President Denis Sassou Nguesso will certainly need a person in the mold of Jean Baptise Ondaye to navigate through his ultimate mandate, if he succeeds in changing the constitution. Whichever way things go for the current regime, Jean Baptise Ondaye is through and through, a brilliant, hardworking civil servant. He is the quintessential technocrat with an exceptional professional and moral qualities needed to redress a rotten system such as the current one in Congo.

Firmin Ayessa MP aka Max or Fox: presentable face of Denis Sassou Nguesso(profile)

Firmin Ayessa MP aka Max or Fox:  he is Congo’s minister of state and Member of Parliament for Makoua electoral constituency in the north of the country and Director of Cabinet or chief of staff of the President. He is therefore a kind of prime minister in a presidential system that Congo is. Mr Ayessa is a former journalist who has always been close to the president of the Republic. Professionally speaking, I don’t think that besides heading or holding managerial posts of responsibilities at the Congolese News Agency abbreviated in French as ACI and in pseudo private paper, he has had any major impact on Congolese as other Congolese journalists such as Joseph Bitala Bitemo or Jean Claude Kakou. Anyway, throughout my stay in Congo, besides Constant Tchendou and a hand few who recalls that, he was a journalist, most people don’t remembers him as a journalist. Or it might be that, he was just an average journalist who rattled no feathers. Perhaps it is a matter of generational shift, hence the new generation has forgotten about him. However his national lack of professional notoriety has been compensate with that which he currently is politically. And this is not because he has done or taken a major political decision, but simply because, he is on the under the protective wing of President Denis Sassou Nguesso. Just as he had registered a wafer thin reputation as a journalist, it is the same case with his parliamentary life. 

His colleagues complain that, he hardly comes to parliament or supports any bill.  To his discharge, he could logically argue that, given his position he can’t be present in parliamentary secessions, hence his alternate seats for him. He also gets elected not because he is popular in his constituency but he gets elected out of fraud.  Firmin Ayessa might be popular in his constituency, but the fact that, he is close to President Denis Sassou Nguesso who is very unpopular within the region, it dampens any sympathies that people would have had for him.  His most difficult periods privately and professionally were when Denis Sassou Nguesso was out of power. But immediately Denis Sassou Nguesso succeeded in driving away from power Pascal Lissouba from power, the man who used to take buses and taxis to work recovered politically and financially. Mr Ayessa is an easy going and ever smiling man, who love French politics. And the French politician who marvels him most is Nicholas Sarkozy. I don’t know whether it is because Nicholas Sarkozy and his UMP party were to his boss or whether it was hyperactivity of the former French president that attracted him. Firmin Ayessa is also a very humble and simple man who seems not to have forgotten where he came from. He is also one of the rare men who are advanced in age within the Denis Sassou Nguesso galaxy that, I know and who calls me my son. He is not ashamed of his age and assumes it. In the chapter on Congolese elite, more will be explained on why most Congolese elite of a certain age in particular men  prefers to be called “Grand Frere” or a “Yayah” in the both Congolese national languages: Lingala and Kituba.

His proximity to the President Denis Sassou Nguesso has made him today to be appointed campaign manager. Denis Sassou Nguesso seems to love him because, he (Denis Sassou Nguesso) knows that, his ambition to elongate his stay in power is not appreciated even by most within his family inner circle.  Hence prior to plans by the president to change the constitution in order to extend his stay in power, Firmin Ayessa was the one that the president used to meet or contact western diplomats, in particular the US ambassador to Congo, Mrs. Stephanie Sullivan. Mrs. Sullivan is today the bête-noir of the ruling Nguesso family simply because she wants   Congo’s democracy entrenched or consolidate. For a democratic Congo will unlock the country's huge cultural and economic potentials for the benefit of the majority and not what is the rule of a happy few. Unfortunately for Mrs. Sullivan, the White House is full of people who talks a lot and only reacts lately. That is the reason why, Denis Sassou Nguesso should not think that, the repeated humiliations and refusal to meet with the US ambassador will save him from the wrath of Washington DC.  Or he should not be deceived into thinking that, a new president in White House might change Washington’s approach toward them. Denis Sassou Nguesso, decided to adopt the strategy of hiding behind Firmin Ayessa because, he had deceived all western diplomats or had promised them all that, he will respect the constitution.

Since he never knew what to tell them, whenever, they wanted to see him, hence, he used the services of his loyal chief of staff who in addition, knows how to speak or present their case convincingly. However, on the problem of the constitutional change, I don’t think Firmin Ayessa was able to convince anyone.  The only problem that Firmin Ayessa is having now with the president, I was told is that, he has not only been able to convince General Jean Marie Michel Mokoko not to contest the March 20^th snap  presidential elections, more he was not able to foresee or predict the popular General’s participation. General Mokoko and Firmin Ayessa are both from the town of Makoua and the second being the principal collaborator of the president, will now be subjected to moral torture from his boss.  The post of Chief of staff that Firmin Ayessa occupies is a vital post of responsibility that, some members of the president’s family thought that, they are the only ones who deserved to have it or be appointed to. Hence, they were surprised when the president sacked his uncle Aime Emmanuel Yoka from the post and replaced him with Firmin Ayessa.

It explains the reason why, the rumor mills in Brazzaville has it that, Mr Ayessa is where he is because his daughter, Mrs. Belinda Ayessa. Mrs. Ayessa is a former journalist like her father and she is currently the Directress of the controversial Pierre Savorgnon de Brazza Museum. The Brazzaville rumor mill is precise with it information, it claims that, Mrs. Belinda Ayessa is one of the many mistresses of the President Denis Sassou Nguesso. When she gave birth it was also claimed that, it was the lovechild of the president of Congo. All these are just rumors because there are no proves and in addition, Congolese politics is very salacious and full of slander and blackmail. It is a classic menu inherited from it Communist past. But Mr Ayessa who is a member of parliament as already mentioned, is where, he is today because he is hard working and also upon his appointment as the Directorate of cabinet of the president of the Republic he has installed order. But while he is a disciplined man, he has no future politically in Congo after Denis Sassou Nguesso.