Basile Ikouebe: Profile of Congo’s minister of Foreign affairs and Cooperation

Basile Ikouebe: he was until his recent dismissal from the government or his resignation repackaged as dismissal, Congo’s minister of Foreign affairs and Cooperation. He held the prestigious post from 2007 to 2015. He was also the former representative of Congo at the United Nations. This sometimes tempestuous man is nonetheless methodic, when it comes to discharging diplomatic matters. He is also one of the rare persons with whom President Denis Sassou Nguesso still has good relationship. Denis Sassou Nguesso has very few people who have had longstanding cordial relationship with him. Most people who have been friends with Congo’s president, do almost all accuse him of disloyalty. Even though, Basile Ikouebe is a native of the Cuvette region, just like the president of the republic, he is not an ethnic Mbouchi, like his friend President Denis Sassou Nguesso. Basile Ikouebe he is an ethnic Kouyou. The Kouyou ethnic group is close to the Mbouchis, but their languages are spoken with some variations. Their chief town which is also that of the Cuvette region is called Owando. However, the Kouyou language was the language spoken by late former President, Commandant Marien Ngouabi. Mr Ngouabi is the man who staged the 1968 coup d’état that ended the leadership of Alphonse Massambat-Debat and in particular, ended the domination of the southern Congolese against northerners and also, most importantly, it brought the northerners to power. It was first the Kouyous of Marien Ngouabi and then, the Mbouchis of which the Nguesso ruling family are the most well-known, who are now at the head of the country.  

The 1968 coup d’état was well staged managed. First it was Alfred Raoul who was appointed president and then, in 1969, the northerners still headed by Marien Ngouabi took the mantle of control full cycle. And There also locks, the genesis of the Congolese chronic misrule. Marien Ngouabi might be feted today as a national hero, but given the rot that his “brothers” from the Cuvette region have done to the Congolese social, political and economic fabric or foundation, I think, he(Marien Ngouabi) deserves a posthumous trial. Without him, the Nguesso ruling family won’t have been in power in Congo today. The procedure to bring the current ruling Nguesso family to power in Congo was not immediate. It was done tactfully. Nguesso family confirmation of their power grasp, took place in 1979. That is two years after the death of Marien Ngouabi, in yet to be elucidated causes or circumstances. Marien Ngouabi was also the founder of the current Congolese Workers Party abbreviate in French as PCT. Although Basile Ikouebe is occasionally tempestuous, but he is assiduous diplomatically or professionally, his only weakness, if could be considered as one, is that, he like faire complexioned ladies, but he is not a womanizer like most Congolese of his rank. His qualities are that, he is a very honest man and a seasoned diplomat. I have had the honor and the privilege to meet with Basile Ikouebe four times.

Meetings with Basile Ikouebe

Three times in Brazzaville and the fourth time was in lobby of Four Season Hotel in Washington DC.  It was on the 7^th of August 2014, immediately after the first US-Africa Summit. However, the first time that I met with him, it was in the company of Guy Milex Mboundzi. Mr. Mboundzi is a journalist and publisher of a weekly newspaper called La Voix du Peuple. We came to see him, because we wanted him to give us his own version on the sales of Congolese Diplomatic passports to foreigners. In all fairness, he had nothing to do with the fraud, but the scandal came from his director of protocol whose only name I can retain or recall was Maduka. But on that day, Minister Ikouebe was furious. He told us that: “it was a cabal orchestrated by the children and relatives of the president of the republic to oust him from his responsibility”. But what he never knew was that, on that day, the children of the president or relatives of the president had no hands in what we came to enquire. Children or relatives of the President may have in other cases or instances, but the purpose of our visit was purely professional. The architect of his problem, was one if his, by name Maduka. Basile Ikouebe was a victim of excessive devolution of power and excessive confidence in Mr Maduka, his dubious director of protocol. 

On that day also, after his outburst, he calmed down and showed us on the wall, a photograph dating 1989. It was a souvenir picture taken in Brazzaville after the Brazzaville negotiations. It was negotiations, pitting on one hand the Cubans, the Angolan government or MPLA, SWAPO and the Soviet Union and on the other hand: South Africans, US and UNITA forces or delegation. In 1989, Congo was playing the mediation role in the Angolan crisis. And most of the mediations and negotiations took place in Brazzaville. While the Congolese played the role of mediation, it worth mentioning that, one of the greatest sponsors and support for the Liberation of southern African nations was Nigeria through the frontline states. The mentioned of this aspect by Basile Ikouebe is a testament of his honesty. For most Congolese government officials, especially card carrying members of the ruling party wants to make the world to believe that, the liberation of Angola, Namibia and Nelson Mandela was the lone effort of Denis Sassou Nguesso. They don't even want to mention that, before Denis Sassou Nguesso, it was Marien Ngouabi who took Congo into the African cold war battlefield of Angola and southern Africa in general. Guinea under Ahmed Sekou Toure also played a crucial role in the Angolan crisis. The Brazzaville agreement he told us, paved the way for the independence of Namibia and even the liberation of Nelson Mandela. And he made this memorable phrase: “I am a diplomat and not a Communist. I have refused to join the PCT and I am not a card holding member”.

Disputes with children of Denis Sassou Nguesso

From there on, I held him high in my heart. For anybody who hated or hates communism endeared my heart. We later on became friends and I even had to interview him on MNTV in my programme: La Grande Interview. It was in order for him to give his opinion on the Diplomatic passport palaver. But why was he furious when we came to contact him in order for him to give his own side of the story on the problem of Diplomatic passport? I can't really explain, but it was during that encounter that I discovered how much most ministers working under Denis Sassou Nguesso are suffering from constant humiliations meted on them by some the children of the President, especially his two daughters. Namely: Cendrine Otenello Sassou Nguesso and Claudia Sassou Nguesso. However, no matter how they were suffering or being humiliated, they never had the courage to resign their positions. One day, Basile Ikouebe called me. It was precisely on the 26^th of July 2014. He asked me to come and meet him in his office at 11am. On the phone, he told me that, he wanted me to help him to promote or sell the just concluded “intra Central African Republic Talks” or meeting. The “Intra Central African Republic Talks or Dialogue” was the meeting of all the warring parties in Central African Republic. It took place in Brazzaville and it was initiated by President Denis Sassou Nguesso who was the mediator in the crisis.

The said intra Central African Republic Talks or Peace Forum, took place in Brazzaville from the 21^st-23^rd of July 2014. I went on time for our meeting. And I was in the company of his Director of Communications whose only name I can retain or recall was Daniel. Daniel was an army Colonel detached by the ministry of defense to the ministry of Foreign affairs and Cooperation to work in the Communications department. Daniel is a cool, peaceful and law abiding Christian, who was entirely devoted to serving his boss and their tribe. The minister asked his Director of communications to leave us alone and I sensed that, he wanted to speak to me privately.  And I felt honored by Mr Basile Ikouebe, because he wanted to confide  to me. On that day of the 26^th of July 2014, I saw a disgruntled and abused man. He told me: “I have told your parents and relatives, in particular, the President of the Republic, that, I am tired and I want to leave or else I will resign. But the president doesn’t want to let me go or accept my resignation. I thought that, he will reshuffle his cabinet and in the process let me go. But, it has not happened yet”.

 Influence of the President and his family

Then he added: “anyway, I had been forewarned, while in New York and returning to take up this job here that, I was going to meet three obstacles. Namely: the president, who is the real foreign minister and takes the initiatives, his nephew, Jean Dominique Okemba  and his family, in particular his children and in chief, Claudia Sassou Nguesso”. He also told me that: “the just ended Central African Republic Peace Forum, almost failed because he could not agree on the dates with the children of the President”.  And he also added that: “it was the children of the president and in Chief, Claudia Sassou Nguesso who fixed the dates for the 21^st-23^rd July 2014 for the Forum and not him”. He went on: “regarding the central African peace forum, I had proposed a budget of FCFA 1.7 billion. Because when those delegates come here, we need to give them some stipends that are proportional to their ranks and also offer them proper accommodations during their stay here in Brazzaville. But my budgetary proposal was rejected by Gilbert Ondongo, the minister of finance, under the guise that, it was too elevated or too high. The budget was then whittled down to FCFA 500 million”. He added: “the presidency of the Republic was allocated the sum of FCFA 500 million to organize Forbes summit and when I say presidency of the Republic, I mean, the department of Communications which is headed by Claudia Sassou Nguesso, the daughter of the president”.

He concluded with this question: “What does Forbes Afrique Summit brings to Congo in terms of diplomatic dividends and prestige, if not wastage of state funds and the enrichment of the daughter of the president and his group?” Basile Ikouebe felt and thought that, the Central African Republic Peace Forum aimed at bringing a negotiated peace in Central African Republic, that the president was a mediator was far more important and had more immediate diplomatic dividend on Congo, than Forbes Afrique Forum, that was organize by the children and family of the president via a controversial businessman called Lucien Ebata, who is the CEO of an Oil company called Orion Oil based in Kinshasa.  But that was not the view of the president’s family. To them, it was best to make money for themselves than to consolidate the image of the country and even of their father. It also showed how far President Denis Sassou Nguesso has become hostage to his family and in particular to his daughter Claudia Sassou Nguesso. Basile Ikouebe added: “my friend, for the first time in more than 40 years, I can now assure you that, Denis Sassou Nguesso is now taken hostage by his family. Denis Sassou Nguesso would certainly not want to continue as President and the constitution even bars him from seeking a third mandate. But his children and family are mounting pressure on him”. He went further: “I have already told Denis Sassou Nguesso that, I am not in support for any kind of constitutional change and if he does not allow me to leave as I have already requested, I will resign whenever he pronounces or declares that, he wants to change the constitution, for I don’t know how the public will react ,because we have failed them to be honest”. He went on: “look, the president will be going to the United States on the 27^th of July 2014 not because he wanted to reach the US in advance for the first and historic US-Africa Summit, but more because, he wanted to attend the birthday of one of his granddaughters”.

Corruption galore

He added: this building, housing the ministry of foreign affairs and Cooperation was inaugurated late and this, without being fully furnished because Rudolph Adada, my predecessor and belonging to the same tribe as the president of the Republic had embezzled the sum of FCFA 800 million earmarked to furnished the ultra modern building, that is a miniature replica of the ministry of foreign affairs in Beijing, China”. My meeting with Basile Ikouebe was like a moment of confession for him. As for me, it revealed to me the rot that is in the system of Denis Sassou Nguesso and also the corrosive role that, the children of the President were playing. He also told me that, he had resisted corruption attempts from one of the president’s daughters by name Cendrine Otenello Sassou Nguesso. He told me that, Cendrine Otenello Sassou Nguesso wanted him to place orders for vehicles for his ministry to the tune of FCFA 300 million. When he refused, the daughter of the president  sweetened the proposals and told him that, she will give him a SUV Toyota VX 4x4 drive, as compensation, to which, Basile Ikouebe rejected the offer from Cendrine. Annoyed, Cendrine went and saw former Prime Minister Isidore Mvouba in order for him to influence the foreign minister.

And when that stratagem failed, Cendrine began making abusive phone calls to the minister. The minister of foreign affairs also told me this:  “when I was fed up with the abusive phone calls of Cendrine, I went and met my friend Denis Sassou Nguesso and asked him to call his daughter to order or I will abandon your ministry, whether you like it or not”. And since the president knew how temperamental Basile Ikouebe was, he did call his daughter Cendrine to order. Basile Ikouebe also told that he was tired and also that, whatever decision the president took, he won’t continue again after 2016. And he continued: “I have told the president of the Republic to leave at the end of his mandate because we are tired and we have tried our best. And the truth is that, we seem to have failed the Congolese people.” Basile Ikouebe, I must point out that, when I broke the news on the sale of Diplomatic passports,  on breakfast show programme on MNTV called Ca Discute le Matin anchored by Gustelle Klaire, it was the first time that, it was broadcast on an electronic media. He was furious, for he never knew that, the news was already in print media such as the Talassa, which was published by Ghys Bemba and also published in La Voix du Peuple, published by Guy Milex Mboundzi. He never knew about it since they seldom read local newspapers and perhaps his assistants knew but were afraid to show or inform him about the diplomatic passport scandals.

Scandal of Diplomatic passport

He was too furious to a point that, he called the minister of Justice, Aime Emmanuel Yoka, the minister of Mines, General Pierre Oba and also Raymond Zephirin Mboulou, the minister of interior and decentralization for a meeting at the home of Maurice Nguesso, the owner of MNTV. The initial aim of Basile Ikouebe was that I should be sanctioned, at best or at worse, dismissed. I was called to come and explain how and where I got my information from. Evidently, I told them that, I could not disclose the source of my information. But since I had proves of my story, Maurice Nguesso defended me and the matter ended. The scandal of the sale of diplomatic passport broke out because of a triangular love affair pitting Mr Maduka, the Director of protocol of the minister of foreign affairs, a female staff working at the ministry and a certain Amadou Sow Noumazalaye.

Mr Maduka had sold a Congolese diplomatic passport to a DRC woman. The cost for the sale was FCFA 3 million and in some cases a Congolese diplomatic passport could be worth FCFA 5 million. The DRC woman had bought the passport was arrested at the Maya-maya International Airport in Brazzaville when she wanted to travel to Paris. Fearing of being exposed, Mr Maduka decided to convince his lover to accept to carry the responsibility. She was arrested and detained for a while at the Brazzaville central police station and then she was suspended from the ministry of foreign affairs and cooperation where she was working. Mr Maduka assured her that, she will be given the sum of FCFA 3 million and also that, her salary; since she was a civil servant will continue to be paid. He also told her that, after the dust must have settled, she would resume work. That is how things work out in the land of impunity. Six month later, not only did Maduka fail to honor most of his promises, he also stopped visiting her. 

Meanwhile, the girl had fallen in love with a certain Amadou Sow Noumazalaye. It was Noumazalaye who took the flash disk of the ministry of foreign affairs that, the lady still had in her procession and which was containing all diplomatic passports and gave it to the publisher of La Voix du Peuple to keep. The Publisher saw it like as a gold mine of information and decided to start serializing it. That was how a cover up, which was first revealed by Talassa newspaper that has since been banned, resurfaced because La Voix du Peuple had bigger file. Basile Ikouebe is a loyal friend of Denis Sassou Nguesso, but he has or had the courage to tell the truth to his friend. But that doesn’t in anyway mean that, he is going to have any political role in Congo during or after Denis Sassou Nguesso.

However, his only salvation if he ever wanted to play any political role in Congo will be for him, to tell the truth of his experience in a system that has destroyed a country that was once respected regionally and internationally, because of it diplomacy.

Isidore Mvouba MP aka Teddy bear: Profile of Congo's minister of Industrial Development

Isidore Mvouba MP aka Teddy bears: he is the state minister for Industrial development and the promotion of the private sector since 2012. He is also a Member of Parliament for Kindamba electoral constituency in the Pool region. This former prime minister is considered by people of his region as a traitor, but to President Denis Sassou Nguesso, he is one of his most loyal supporters. During the rule of the only post independent democratically elected President of Congo, Pascal Lissouba, he refused a government appointment that he was proposed. In doing so, he was simply obeying to the injunctions or recommendations from the then former president, Denis Sassou Nguesso.  The fact that Isidore Mvouba unlike Professor Gregroire Lifouba aka Mwana Mboka, had refused to join the government of Pascal Lissouba endeared him(Isidore Mvouba) in the eyes and hearts of President Denis Sassou  Nguesso and also to his late daughter Edith Lucie Bongo Ondimba. 

And according Isidore Mvouba, late daughter Edith Lucie Bongo Ondimba, did send him FCFA 25 million during the civil war as gift of sustenance or support. Mr Isidore Mvouba is a Soviet Union trained railway technician and trade unionist. He is also a person who speaks or talks about everything, but the internal politics of Congo. Mindful of the suspicious nature of his friend and boss, he is afraid that, something else would be carried or reported back to Denis Sassou Nguesso and which might cause his political downfall. Although some people think that, he has no personality, he nonetheless does show it, whenever his position is at stake. For example, he almost beat up Pierre Ngolo, the current secretary of the ruling party because of competition to head the party.  

Even though he is loyal to President Denis Sassou Nguesso, he was not chosen by the president to head the post of secretary general of the ruling party. The president instead preferred Pierre Ngolo not just because he was from the north and they spoke the same language. The appointment of Pierre Ngolo to the post of secretary general of the ruling party in 2011 was more because, the president wanted someone who had no personality.  And since, the president doesn’t have total confidence in Isidore Mvouba, he opted for Pierre Ngolo.  Besides the fact that, the president doesn’t have total confidence in him because he is a native of the Pool region, he is also challenged by other members of the presidential family, in particular Aime Emmanuel Yoka. This was visible when prior to the 2009 presidential elections, Mvouba with the support of Okombi Salissa created the RMP or Ressemblement pour la Majorite Presidentielle, Aime Emmanuelle Yoka and François Ibovi responded by creating what was then called Imitative pour la Paix abbreviated IP. 

For most family members of the president and other ethnic Mbouchis of the north were always ganging up against him. They thought that, the president, given their proximity had plans to hand over power to him. As for his future politically, it is sealed to the fate of the president Denis Sassou Nguesso. Furthermore, the fact that, he has a fragile health, he has no future and even if President Denis Sassou  Nguesso succeed to change the constitution, I wonder whether he will be able or have the power to withstand the pressure that will follow.

Raymond Zephirin Mboulou MP: Tenacious and rigorous minister of interior and decentralization(Profile)

Raymond Zephirin Mboulou MP: he is Congo’s minister of interior and decentralization and he is also Member of Parliament for Mpouya electoral constituency. Mpouya is a locality situated some 32km from the town of Ngo in the Plateau Region. Ngo in itself is a junction town. For Ngo which, is a market town specialized in the sales of cocoyam is also located on the routes that leads to Djambala, the headquarters of the Plateau region and also the passage to towns of Gamboma, Oyo, Owando and Ouesso.  Raymond Zephirin Mboulou MP is a soft spoken man but tenacious and rigorous. He is also a person who is extremely nationalistic and abhors France in particular. Once in his office in 2011, some days before the holding of a national dialogue in the northwestern town of Ewo, I overheard him in shock and awe promising to order the beating of an opposition leader, should he decide with others to stage a rival meeting in Brazzaville. Sometimes he is violent, especially when he is ordered by the President to act.  

Unlike others, he at least has the courage to counter the excesses of the extremists within the regime. In other words he is not a zealot. He is a reasoned man who is humble, humane and generous. These are positive aspects of Raymond Zephirin Mboulou that are not known by the opposition and other pro-democracy activists who spend time deriding him on social media. They also call him the minister of interior of President Denis Sassou Nguesso and the ruling Congolese Workers Party. In other words, the opposition refers to him as partial. This former secretary general at the presidency and a close ally to Justice Minister Aime Emmanuel Yoka is by his position, one man who is regularly consulted by the President of the Republic electoral and national matters. I have met and interviewed him on several occasions. But I was stroke three times by his reactions to three events. The first time was in 2011 as above explained and the second time was in 2012. Immediately after the legislative elections, there were riots in Gamboma, the most populated town in the north of Congo. The cause of the riots was the lost of the head of the opposition, Mathias Dzon, to Hughes Ngouelondele the Gamboma2 electoral constituency.  Hughes Ngouelondele is the lord mayor of the Brazzaville Greater City Council and son in law to the president of the Republic.

I called him after I had spoken with Mathias Dzon and he complained that, the army had closed down the town and were denying him the opportunity to go back to Brazzaville. The reply of Raymond Zephirin was shocking. He told me: Mathias Dzon must stay in Gamboma to cleanse the city and bring back order in the town, for he is the one who has created the mayhem. And he added: after all, I have my cassava in my mouth, let him not disturb me. The third was in 2013, December 16^th. The army and Police were attacking the home of Colonel Marcel Nstourou, a reneged army officer who was accused of having master minded the March 4^th 2012 Explosion that took place at an ammunition depot. He was eventually arrested, tried and acquitted with a suspended sentence. I was around the battle venue and when I saw how intense was the battle and also the possibility that,  Colonel Marcel Nstourou might be killed, I called the minister of interior and told him that, I am around the area of action and  that, within 30 minutes or so, I suspect that, Colonel Marcel Nstourou could be killed. He responded: let him be killed, for he is also responsible for several deaths.

My fear was that, should Colonel Marcel Nstourou be killed during the conflict, I think his death would plunge the country into a tribal war, pitting the ethnic Batekes, who are by far, the largest ethnic group in the country against the ruling minority Mbouchi of President Denis Sassou Nguesso. Fortunately, the Colonel was not killed. According to Matthias Dzon, President Denis Sassou Nguesso will use him like an orange, press-out all juice out of him and then throw him away. But Mr Mboulou ignores the warnings from Mathias Dzon and says that, he is loyal to the President and doesn’t care what will be his fate in the future. Raymond Zephirin Mboulou is an extremely hardworking and loyal man to President Denis Sassou Nguesso.  Nonetheless he is dominated in his ministry by Jean Francois Ndenguet who is the head of the Congolese Police Force. Jean Francois Ndenguet gets his strength to dominate over Mr Mboulou from Jean Dominique Okemba, who is the influential nephew of the president and also his special adviser. As a native of the Plateau of the Congo, a region that is reported to have one of the highest literacy rates in the country after the Pool region, he is a brilliant tactician. The people of the Plateau region are also known for their unique solidarity traits.This simply means that, in spite being part of the repressive security apparatus of Denis Sassou Nguesso and also classified amongst the extremists of the regime, Raymond Zephirin Mboulou still has a future in the country even after Denis Sassou Nguesso is gone from power.

Rigorbert Maboundou: Brilliant economist but an incompetent minister(profile)

Rigorbert Maboundou: he is a brilliant economist and minister of agriculture.  However, he is a minister of Agriculture who has failed to develop a sector that would have been able to contribute in the fight against poverty and also fight the appalling unemployment rate in the country. His best periods are only when it comes to defending  President Denis Sassou Nguesso. His colleagues and students at the Marien Ngouabi University in Brazzaville describe him as man who mastered his course and was assiduous as a lecturer. But that assiduity has vanished when he got neck deep into politics.  Before his appointment as minister, he was the director of cabinet or chief of staff of Mr Clement Mouamba. And Mr Clement Mouamba was the first finance minister of Denis Sassou Nguesso, immediately after the 1997 civil war. Mr Clement Mouamba was a controversial minister of finance, first because he had worked with the toppled democratic government of Pascal Lissouba and secondly because of his insatiable love for prostitutes. Hence he was also known as the man with the “Golden Penis”. Clement Mouamba was so nicknamed because, when he was replaced by Mathias Dzon, he was sent to work as Congo’s representative at the Central Bank of Central African States abbreviated in French as BEAC. The headquarters of the central bank of the six member states is located in Yaoundé, Cameroon. While in Cameroon, Clement Mouamba liked visiting the red-light districts of the Cameroonian capital, where are located nightclubs and it was also reported that, Clement Mouamba was fond of prostitutes.

And whenever he employed the services of any prostitute, he graciously paid the sum of FCFA 1 million.  Besides being known in the Yaounde’s red light district as Penis D’or or Golden Penis, he was variously called: Bamenda or “Bon payeur”. And to use the Congolese parlance, Clement Mouamba was known as “Tonton a pesa a tala te”, which is a Lingala word for a man who has deep pockets and who is generous to women.  And because of the generosity of Clement Mouamba toward prostitutes, whenever he set foot in or around the nightclubs of Yaoundé, words went round amongst girls and there was commotion. Rigorbert Maboundou is different from his former boss and mentor, Clement Mouamba. He is not known to be a lover-boy as most of his colleagues are. He is not only soft spoken, but he is a methodic man who doesn’t entertain contradictions and he also doesn’t like free press.  However, he is not bellicose and could be reasoned.  His only fear it seems, is to lose his ministerial appointment, hence he is almost always ready to defend the president and strangely with sometimes real verifiable statistics and comparable sources or examples. Like most Congolese elite molded in the mold of Denis Sassou Nguesso, he enjoys  being praised for anything he has done.

However, he is a man who respects time and keeps to his promises.  He is accused by some within the ruling party and also within the ruling Nguesso family to be responsible in the failure of the government’s plan to revive the agricultural sector of the economy. For Congo, which is a country with rich arable land, but she is paradoxically a net importer of food from countries such the DRC and Cameroon. Regarding the accusation of failure to revive agriculture, he claims, it is the minister of Economy and Finance, Gilbert Ondongo who is responsible, for the failure, because he refuses to disburse the finances needed to turn the sector around. However at the ministry of finance, people claim that, a special fund for agriculture was set up, but the minister of Agriculture instead of providing funds to needy farmers, he gave loans to some members of governments and to some members of the ruling family. Those loans were not only used for projects that, had nothing to do with agriculture, but more, the loans were never reimbursed. He also spends  most of his time complaining likes most of his colleagues about the minister of finance, Gilbert Ondongo, whom he accuses to have scuttled the president’s plans to diversify the economy and make agriculture a central piece of the economy.

According to the minister of Agriculture, the minister of Finance is systematically blocking his request for funds, which if granted, it would have made agriculture a central piece of Congolese economy. Perhaps the minister of Agriculture may be correct that, the minister of finance is blocking or refusing to finance projects in his ministry. However, where the minister has failed is in their signature agric-village project. It was a project meant to make Congo self sufficient in poultry product and according to the ministry of finance, the budget was duly granted. But Congo remains a net importer of poultry products as she is in other areas. As regards that, failure, the minister doesn’t say is how he managed the agric-villages and its funds, that were meant to make Congo self sufficient in poultry products.  The lies or propaganda around the success of the much hyped Agric-village, which was synonymous to that of the Israeli Kibbutz, was exposed  in 2012, when a migrant crisis broke out between Congo and the DRC. when there were no eggs in the country , especially in Brazzaville in 2012,it became quickly evident that, the much hyped self sufficiency in poultry farming and products was just cheap propaganda. Rigorbert Maboundou doesn’t have any future politically in Congo after Denis Sassou Nguesso is gone from power.

Jean-Jacques Bouya MP: The banker of President Denis Sassou(Profile)

Jean-Jacques Bouya MP: - He is a Member of Parliament for the Tchikapika electoral constituency. Tchikapika sub district and village, is situated some 23km from Oyo.  And Oyo, in itself is a district, with its district capital having the same name.  Mr Jean-Jacques Bouya is also minister delegate at the Presidency of the Republic in charge of Major Public Works and in Congo, the major public works ministry is known as Ministere des Grand Travaux. His appointment to this strategic post was the handy work of another nephew of the President, Edgard Nguesso. The idea behind the creation of what is called today in Congo as Grand Travaux was inspired by a similar institution created in Ivory Coast under late Ivorian president, Felix Houphouet Boigny. In Ivory Coast, the equivalent of the Congolese Grand Travaux is known as BNETD or Bureau National d’Etude Techniques et du Development , which was created by a July 1964 presidential decree[i].  The creation of  Grand Travaux, a specialized body, directly attached to the office of the President shows at least that, in spite violently making a second come back to power in 1997, Denis Sassou Nguesso wanted to improve on his  calamitous  past experience as head of state. That is, from 1979 to 1992.

Transformed Congo

Hence the appointment of someone, whom he thought, could help him achieve his goal to leave Congo with infrastructure that could contribute in making her to become a major social and economic player within the sub region and also on the continent. Denis Sassou Nguesso may have veered away from his original plans for his country and the sub region in term of economic and social angles development, for he had promised in his 1997 book to make Congo a paradise of Democracy. But he has instead made Congo a hell of dictatorship with seedy practices of corruption and nepotism. His promises are synonymous to that of his predecessor, Pascal Lissouba. It should be recalled that, Pascal Lissouba promised to make Congo a little Switzerland in Africa, but at the end, he left Congo a little Yugoslavia in Africa.   Today, Denis Sassou Nguesso bans or suspends internet, he does not like free press, arrest his opponents and has in one word, transformed Congo into a dictatorship but, that doesn’t remove the fact that, he has carried out major infrastructural projects that has changed Congo and that will be of benefit to the country long after he has left power or as it is now evident, when he dies in power.  

For all what he has done in term of infrastructural development, had Denis Sassou Nguesso not opted to become second Robert Mugabe, Paul Biya or Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, he would have been feted in Congo and around the continent as a great statesman. But unfortunately, Denis Sassou Nguesso has disappointed even me who used to be his fan. He has become a cheap dictator, whose legacy would be trampled upon and forgotten just like that of his neighbor, late Field Marshal Mobutu.  Those said or written, Jean-Jacques Bouya is a pilot by profession and also a nephew to the President of the Republic. Mr Bouya is known by his detractors and even by some of his admirers as “Pepe Kale” because of his imposing height akin to that of the late DRC musician. And because of the post that he is manning, he has become one of the richest men in Congo. Whether people like it or not, history will note that, Jean-Jacques Bouya is the one through whom, President Denis Sassou Nguesso has earned some degree of respects amongst ordinary Congolese. He is perhaps the best political appointment that Denis Sassou Nguesso has ever made since he came back to power in 1997. For Jean-Jacques Bouya is different from other members of the ruling Nguesso clan. He is hard working and is not the show and tell type of his cousins.

His successes

His only traits of show and tell or display of financial and political power is his motorcade, which has sirens blaring,  whenever he leaves his house located in Nkombo-Matari north of Brazzaville for the office in heart of the Business District of Brazzaville. The blaring sirens are noticed whenever he leaves office en-route for his house. Besides that, he is a very simple and accessible man, who easily answers phone calls.  Jean-Jacques Bouya MP , like any other human being, certainly has his weaknesses, but one thing that can’t be denied about  him is that, he deserved to be credited for laying the groundwork for almost all the major infrastructural  constructions, currently taking placing around the country such as: bridges, roads, hospitals and hydro-electric dams. If today a 533km macadamized road has been constructed, linking Pointe Noire, the port city and commercial hub of the country with Brazzaville, the political and administrative capital, it is thanks to Jean-Jacques Bouya. Since Congo’s independence from France in 1960, both cities have never been linked with a macadamized road. The only link was by rail or by air.

It is a major success. But if the road construction project was handled by any other member of the ruling Nguesso family or the many corrupt friends of the president of the Republic, that project won’t have ever seen the light of day. Elsewhere, it is normal for such projects to be initiated and completed, but in Congo under Denis Sassou Nguesso, it is almost impossible to see projects starts and gets finish. Hence, the Pointe Noire –Brazzaville road is a feat to be credited to Jean-Jacques Bouya and also to President Denis Sassou, for having for once, not listened to rumors and blackmail directed toward his savior of a nephew. For one weak point with President Denis Sassou Nguesso is that, he gives or listens to rumors and slanders. But Jean Jacques Bouya has proven that, projects, no matter how great and large they might be, when they start, they must be completed. 

 Lack of accountability

Jean-Jacques Bouya has done well, however some might point to the fact that, in the entire massive infrastructural construction spree in the country, there is no accountability in what he does, for he reports directly to his uncle. Besides the questions on accountability, some Congolese and specialists in the areas also questions the viability of some of the infrastructural projects, which he carries out and which is normal. As for Jean-Jacques Bouya, he is of the opinion that, all projects launched are viable because Congo had nothing to show in term of infrastructure.  Having raised all those points one can’t deny that, Congo under the second violent coming of Denis Sassou Nguesso has changed.  It has modern airports, stadia, hospitals and for the first time in its history, the far north that is forested is connected to the coast. And the architect of this change is Jean Jacques Bouya. Hence he is called the redeemer of Denis Sassou Nguesso. It must be said that, before, Denis Sassou Nguesso had never successfully achieved such major construction spree, until he appointed his nephew to coordinate the infrastructural revival of a country that is rich in oil and having a tiny population, who are paradoxically living in abject poverty. The wealth of the country is in the hands of a happy few members of the ruling Nguesso family with their well connected friends.  This last point has not changed, for Congo remains an unequal society where corruption is rift.

As for Jean-Jacques Bouya, whatever the short comings or criticisms leveled against him, honesty requires that, praise should be given to him for having proven that, it is possible to do things correctly in a country with endemic corruption. And the paradox is that, the decried corruption and laissez faire attitude are almost always carried out by the very parents and family members of the President of the Republic. For Denis Sassou Nguesso has instituted a culture of impunity within his large family and also amongst his friends and people gravitating around his children. While Jean-Jacques Bouya might be accused of being corrupt, he is, as already mentioned, very different from most Congolese, especially some members of the ruling Nguesso family, who have before him had the same position, but were unable to achieve what he has done in Congo in a span of a decade. The founded reproaches being made against him nonetheless are that, most of the projects embarked upon are not well executed and also that, the feasibility studies are  either opaque with little or  no accountability given to the public on the real cost of projects. Then there are the social and environmental aspects of most of the major infrastructural projects that seems to have been largely neglected.

The Imbolou hydro-electric dam fiasco

Some experts’ claims that, the Imbolou hydro electric dam is an example of a project carried out with proper studies of it viability or the social and environmental impact. Hence those experts claim it has failed in generating sufficient energy to stop Congo’s reliance on the Inga dam in the DRC and the Imbolou has created environmental degradation around Imbolou. He may have failed with other projects, but in my opinion, his greatest fiasco is the Imbolou hydro electric dam, located north of the capital. It was expected that, upon its completion, it will end the endemic load shading in the capital. It has been a monumental flop. Power supply in Brazzaville is still erratic. Furthermore, some specialists blame him for neglecting the much more viable Sounda dam, which it is claim has far more greater generating capacity and would have partially or wholly solve the problem of erratic power supply in the country. These same specialists are of the opinion that, the Imbolou hydro electric dam was constructed because of geostrategic reason, since it is located in the north of the capital. While Sounda dam was abandoned because it is located in the south of Congo.

 Sinophile

Jean-Jacques Bouya is also accused of being too close to China and some have even gone the extra mile of accusing him of having mortgaged the country to the Chinese. There are even some who claim that, he has some secret financial dealings with Chinese in particular the China Exim Bank. While others adds that, he is the financial straw man of his uncle of a President, hence their mutual love for China. May I stress here on that, it was difficult to corroborate any of those floated claims because nobody was willing to speak. But one thing is certain, he is an unapologetic Sinophile and without the President of the Republic putting some breaks, he would have awarded all infrastructural projects in Congo to the Chinese. The other nationals that he seems to like when it comes to the award of contracts are the Brazilians.  The reason according to Jean-Jacques Bouya, is simple, Brazilians and their company in Congo, Andrade Gutierrez, knows how to work or knows best how to construct roads in Congo because, Congo seems to have the same topography with Brazil. While the soft spoken Bouya, variously known as the redeemer of Denis Sassou Nguesso or the builder of modern Congo, is busy building the infrastructure of the country, he is also laying the foundation for his political ambitions. He has like is Cousin Jean Dominique Okemba, been able to influence appointments of people close to him at strategic posts in the country. It is reported that, it is thanks to his influence that, Mrs. Catherine Embondzo Lipiti was appointed minister for the integration in development and promotion of Women. Prior to her appointment as minister, Mrs. Catherine Embondzo Lipiti was secretary general at the Ministry of Major Public Works or Grand Travaux. She has been a success.

Appointment of Serge Bouya

However where he has failed woefully, as he had done with his Imbolou hydro electric dam project,  is having made his younger brother, Serge Bouya to be appointed deputy managing Director of the Pointe Noire Autonomous Ports. Pointe Noire is located on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean and it is the largest city and economic capital of Congo. And its deep sea port is reported by Bollore Africa Logistics, the concessioners or managers of the port to be one of the best in West Africa. For large vessels with the capacity of carrying 7 thousand containers can berth there without any difficulties. It was a scandal of monumental proportion to have Serge Bouya, a pathological failure to be appointed as deputy director of such as vital port. For Serge Bouya, a former MP for Ouenze is an embodiment of mediocrity and his appointment was the manifestation of crass nepotism of the Sassou Nguesso regime. It demonstrated in broad daylight that, in Congo under Denis Sassou Nguesso incompetent people are given post that, they don’t deserve, simply because they are connected to the ruling Nguesso family. The younger brother of Jean-Jacques Bouya by name Serge Bouya can hardly express himself in French after spending years at the Marien Ngouabi University. His appointment is exactly what and why Congolese having hated the ruling Nguesso family.

Potential successor

Jean-Jacques Bouya is today because of his wealth and also the connections that his wealth has bought and brought for him become a potential successor to his uncle. For all the Nguessos, because of wealth and political powers from their father and uncle wants or are all aspiring to govern Congo. But the racing track to succeed President Denis Sassou Nguesso is already crowded by his own family members, especially the son of his uncle, Denis Christel Sassou Nguesso and many other nephews of his uncle. Mr Bouya’s greatest rival for the succession of their uncle is Jean Dominique Okemba. Sadly, although the entire family is ganging up against Jean Dominique Okemba, the President may have already chosen him (Jean Dominique Okemba) to succeed him. In addition, Jean Dominique Okemba has the civilian and military network at his service and he is capable of destabilizing Jean-Jacques Bouya at all times. But between Jean–Jacques Bouya and Jean Dominique Okemba, the one who can or who has something positive to show to Congolese, is the first. The second, rightly or wrongly, is more often than not, associated with everything that is negative with the rule of Denis Sassou Nguesso. Jean Jacques Bouya may have the credit of having contributed in changing Congo in term of infrastructure and he also have lot of money, but, he doesn’t have the political and security apparatus to backup his ambition, if he has one. The banker of President Denis Sassou Nguesso as a person has no future politically in Congo after Denis Sassou Nguesso, but with his amassed wealth, he could become a formidable kingmaker of a sort, should he decides to.

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[i] http://www.bnetd.ci/bnetd/historique

Gilbert Ondongo MP: Profile of a finance minister hated by most of his colleagues

Gilbert Ondongo MP: he is the minister of Economy, Finance, Planning and Integration of Congo. He is one of the most influential ministers within the regime of Denis Sassou Nguesso. It is claimed that, along with Jean Jacques Bouya, Aime Emmanuel Yoka and Jean Bruno Richard Itoua, they have created or formed a band of four around the President of the Republic and thus, influencing all decisions that, the president may want to take, especially when it comes to the allocation of budgets to other ministers or ministries.  Theirs seems to be their answer to a similar band of four created around former President Pascal Lissouba and that, it is claimed was to be the architect of the misrule of the only post independent democratically elected President of Congo. Those who constituted the band of four and who are claimed to have misled Pascal Lissouba were: Moukoueke, Tamba-Tamba, Kombo and Mberi. History being something that repeats itself regularly, perhaps the current band of four of President Denis Sassou Nguesso might replicate what the former band of four did to Pascal Lissouba.

Arrogant and pretentious

Whether claims that Gilbert Ondongo and the others above mentioned are ganging up around the President are correct or wrong, those spreading such rumors have forgotten to mention that, there is also Jean Dominique Okemba, Claudia Sassou Nguesso and Firmin Ayessa who have influence around or on the president of the Republic.  This simply means that, around the president are a band of seven and not four. Or perhaps, there is a band within a band around the president of the Republic. The detractors of Gilbert Ondongo claim that, he is arrogant and pretentious, but hard working.  However, in spite the influence of Gilbert Ondongo on the president and also in the city of Brazzaville and also in Pointe Noire, he is not appreciated in his home town of Owando. Owando is the capital of the Cuvette region and it is located in the north of Congo. In 2012, he carried out one, if not the most expensive legislative campaigns, perhaps in the history of Congo, just to become Member of Parliament for Owando under the banner of the ruling Congolese Workers Party abbreviated in French as PCT. His rival in the 2012 legislative elections was Jean-Jacques Yhomby, the son of former President Joachim Yhomby Opango. But in spite investing the lump sum of FCFA 3 billion, Gilbert Ondongo lost the legislative elections in Owando.

Electoral cheat

In order for him to be designated MP for Owando, Gilbert Ondongo needed the muscular intervention of Jean Dominique Okemba and the massive use  of security forces, that were massively deplored in the northern town in order  to transform or overturned electoral results in his favor. The truth is that, Gilbert Ondongo did not win the legislative elections in Owando in 2012. The victory of the people was stolen through the use of brutal force. Mindful that, Gilbert Ondongo lost the legislative elections in Owando, the government wanted to arrest the Jean-Jacques Yhomby in a bid to intimidate him and also forestall any popular revolts as it happened in Gamboma, when the victory of Mathias Dzon was stolen and award to Hugues Ngouelondele, the son in law of President Denis Sassou Nguesso. If Jean-Jacques Yhomby was arrested, ad he had wanted, it would have sparked a tribal warfare in the Cuvette region. But the intervention and mediation of Maurice Nguesso averted a simmering rivalry between the Kouyous who are natives of Owando and the minority but governing Mbouchis. The Mbouchis are the ethnic group of President Sassou Nguesso and they are accused of planting the seed of division in the home town of Owando.

Hated by his colleagues

Besides stealing the electoral victory of Jean-Jacques Yhomby, Gilbert Ondongo is not love in Owando, hence he can’t win anything there and he is also hated by most of his colleagues.

According to most of his colleagues, he doesn’t only refuse to grant them their normal budgetary allocations, he is also very arrogant. Gilbert Ondongo accuses his colleagues of leading expansive and corrupt lives. By contrast, he claims to be upright, however, a string of financial scandals have trailed him recently and which has ruined all his claims of uprightness.  According to a Congolese web site, Congo Liberty an apartment allegedly belonging to him was seized by Portuguese authorities recently, who are investigating Jose Veiga, a controversial Portuguese businessman, who is well connected with the Nguesso ruling family.  

In Congo, Jose Veiga was the General Manager of a Company called Asperbras, who were involved in fanciful projects such as the establishment of a motor assembly plant in Brazzaville along the Maya-maya international airport or the production of milk and cheese in Oyo. And the grand of all, was their plans to construct 12 modern hospitals around the country. The truth is that, in the ruling family, most are jealous of the success of Jean-Jacques Bouya, hence they too want to enter into the construction sector of business.  He also accused to have embezzled most of the funds earmarked for victims of the March 4^th 2012 disaster.  Politically, he has no future in Congo after President Denis Sassou Nguesso. When challenged by some members of government or some members of the ruling family, he  claims that, he deserved what he has or his post in the system because he lost one of his parents during the 1997 civil war. He speaks as though he is the only one who has lost or sacrificed a family member during the 1997 civil war or for Denis Sassou Nguesso. Unlike some of his predecessors, Gilbert Ondongo commands little or no respect amongst ordinary Congolese, hence when he goes out walking or jogging he is accompanied by a large security details.