My fellowship at NED (Part 3)

Assistance from NED staff

While I am happy to have been able to partly expose the corrupt system in Congo Brazzaville and its ring leaders, I must also quickly and humbly state here that, without the help or assistance from Rudy Massamba, Melissa Aten and Chris Walker, my presentation on Kleptocracy won’t have materialized and touched or reached all those it seems to have. Staff of NED latter mentioned assisted me in structuring and also on how to best present all the information that I had on the government of Congo and the ruling Nguesso family. It is not enough to have information, but the way and manner that you want to present it and the objective that you want to arrive at is important. And it is in the last phase that, those I have mentioned were of astonishing help.  And regarding Chris Walker, in my humble opinion, he doesn’t only master Kleptocracy, he perhaps more than others, understands best, the devastating effects that Kleptocracy has inflicted in countries and people where it is practiced. Chris Walker also understands best the necessity of using soft power: blocking bank accounts, travel bans and denying medical treatments or education to children and family members of all those supporting, promoting and sponsoring Kleptocracy. The latter “antidotes” could gradually and effectively crippled or weakened encroached Kleptocratic systems and permit liberal democracy to roll forward in the countries and regions where it is being rolled back. Sadly, no matter the determination and brilliance of Chris Walker and others like him, Kleptocracy can’t be fought and won, if Western governments continue to have double standards, contradictory or conflicting interests and policies toward Kleptocrats around the world.

Coming to America

As already mentioned, I began writing this chapter, on the 1^st of August 2016. I was in my final month as a Research Fellow at the NED. It is a fellowship which began on the 20^th of January 2016. But I arrived in the United States, precisely in Washington DC on the 19^th of January 2016. It was not my first trip in the US. It was my fourth. And on that day, it was not only freezing cold, it had even snowed. I was shivering from cold immediately I left the hall of the Dulles International airport for the parking lot where was stationed the car that came to take me for my Hotel: The Virginian. The person who came to receive me at the Airport was Marlena Papavaritis. She is a wonderful person who seems to be the archetype of what American media and films would want the world to think every American citizen is: humane, generous and friendly. In reality, she was and is still truly humane, generous and friendly as at when I was leaving. 

The Nguessos: the Kleptocratic Family

While specialists are still debating on how and when a regime could be defined or referred to as a Kleptocracy, the Cambridge dictionary defines the noun Kleptomania, this way: “A very strong and uncontrollable wish to steal, especially without any need or purpose”. The same dictionary adds: “It is usually considered to be a mental illness”. With the preceding definitions in mind and having spent time in Congo, I am sometimes tempted to conclude that, those ruling the country are sick. My conclusion is based on the insatiable desire of the ruling Nguesso family and their supporters in spite the fact that, they have become extremely prosperous to pilfer the wealth of the country. The Nguesso’s determination to continuously embezzle the country’s wealth is exacerbated by the fact that, everyone within that family wants to grow rich. Even the men and women who have integrated the family through marriage want to become wealthy. And this has sparked an internal race and competition for wealth acquisition that fuels the state theft and capture by a single family, which has resulted in a worrying trend that is beyond comprehension. If the Nguesso’s propensity to steal is not driven by mental illness, it is therefore beyond comprehension why after ruining the country, they are still enthusiastically plundering her.

Immediate consequences

And the immediate consequences of the above is that, today, the Republic of Congo is either bankrupt or on the verge of bankruptcy. According to CEMAC sources, she is indebted to the tune of 77% of her GDP. And this is 7% way above the authorized indebtedness ratio within the norms of the Economic and Monetary Commission of Central African States, CEMAC. The long stay of Sassou Nguesso in power as mentioned severally in the preceding chapters has not only bred corruption and dysfunctions of proper governance; it has also made the system to become a Kleptocracy. A system that has deeply altered   the way the Congolese society behaves or their regard on exams cheating, a practice which is prevalent within the educational system.

Why has Kleptocracy Developed?

Kleptocracy has developed and become a culture because of the following reasons: the children and close relatives of the Sassou Nguesso who were young and some even unborn when he came to power 1979 have now become matured men and women. And most of them currently want to have or already hold political positions and therefore they need money to consolidate their power, the other reasons are that, President Sassou Nguesso has a strong love and affection for his children and family members to a point that, he is unable to take decisions or punish erring members. President Nguesso has a string of friends without whom he won’t have seized power and to compensate them, he allows them free hands to plunder state coffers as they please. In short, Sassou Nguesso has become too passive toward his children, family members and friends, to a level which could be compared to the attitude of the biblical Eli.  But in the bible, there was a consequence. Prophet Eli was punished by God for his inability to reprove his wayward children, and in Congo, it might take some time, ultimately, Congolese will punish Sassou Nguesso for presiding over their economic ruin.