UN Group of Experts on the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s 2012 final report that is circulating in New York City (see our article here) confirms an open secret: M23 Congolese rebels were created and are funded, supported, armed, trained and reinforced by Rwandan Defense Forces and the overall commander on the rebels is none other than the Rwandan Defense Minister, General James Kabarebe.
(Photo: James Kabarebe and Joseph Kabila)
The UN Experts’s report confirms earlier findings by AfroAmerica Network, especially those published on July 8, 2012 (see our article DRC: Rwandan Defense Forces’ March On Kinshasa Has Begun).
The UN Experts report also documents the involvement of Ugandan Defense Forces (UDF) in the invasion of the DRC. AfroAmerica Network had already pointed out that Ugandan Defense Forces military leaders participated in the Bunagana meeting (see our July 27, 2012 article: M23 to Reorganize After Taking Masisi; General Lafontaine to Become Overall Commander). Ugandan Defense Forces’ support was instrumental when the forces of former Congolese Foreign Affairs Minister Mbusa Nyamwisi overran the border city of Kasindi on August 3, 2012 (see our article Ugandan Defense Forces and Mbusa Nyamwisi’s Troops Seize Kasindi).
The reality is that both Ugandan Defense Forces and Rwandan Defense Forces leaders have been coordinating the rebellions bent on overthrowing Joseph Kabila after he failed to honor promises he made to both General Paul Kagame and General Yoweri Museveni. Joseph Kabila is notorious for promising a lot and delivering almost nothing. He did it with Rwandan rebels of the FDLR, the Zimbabwean Defense Forces, the Angolan Defense Forces, the Rwandan Defense Forces, and the Ugandan Defense Forces. All these forces were at one time invited into the Congo to fight for Joseph Kabila. They were either expelled or attacked after Joseph Kabila realized the danger he faced was no longer there. That is how Joseph Kabila has consistently dealt with his former friends who, in reaction to his betrayal or unkept promises, turned into bitter enemies.
That is what is publicly known. What is not publicly known is the relationship between Joseph Kabila and his childhood friend, some people say his uncle or cousin, now the M23 overall commander General James Kabarebe, Rwandan Defense Minister.
Joseph Kabila and James Kabarebe: Childhood Friends.
There is a saying that a picture is worth a thousand words. AfroAmerica Network has obtained the attached picture of the two childhood friends, when they were still in their teens. No comment!
James Kabarebe helped Joseph Kabila’s father to conquer power.
James Kabarebe was instrumental in getting Laurent Desire Kabila gain power. He used the might of the Rwandan Patriotic Army (RPA), now the Rwandan Defense Forces, to bolster up the fledgling Laurent Desire Kabila’s rebel forces fighting the Congolese dictator Mobutu Sese Seko. He was the first Joint Military Chief of Staff of the FARDC. Then, to free himself from the shackles of submission, Laurent Kabila rebelled against Rwandan General Paul Kagame and James Kabarebe. Laurent Kabila recruited Rwandan rebels and created, funded, armed and trained FDLR. The overall commander of FDLR was no other than General Joseph Kabila, the way General James Kabarebe is now the M23 overall commander.
General James Kabarebe saves the life of Joseph Kabila in Pweto battle and Laurent Kabila is assassinated.
After he was humiliated, General James Kabarebe led a rebellion against Laurent Kabila. The rebellion turned into the first African World War, pitting Laurent Kabila’s Congo, Angola, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Chad, Tanzania, and FDLR against Paul Kagame’s Rwanda, Yoweri Museveni’s Uganda, Burundi, Ethiopia, Eritrea, and RCD rebellion.
During the Pweto battle in South Eastern DRC, Joseph Kabila’s forces faced James Kabarebe’s better organized and heavily armed troops. Joseph Kabila found himself surrounded and was about to be captured. When James Kabarebe learned of this, he directed his forces to halt the offensive and open an escape route to Zambia for Joseph Kabila.
A few months later, Laurent Kabila is eventually assassinated, allegedly by Rwandan military intelligence operatives. Joseph Kabila took over power and signed peace accords with his childhood friend James Kabarebe. Then the stalled friendship among the two childhood friends resumed.
Friendship turns into business deals.
James Kabarebe’s involvement in DRC has always been about one thing: looting congolese riches. Joseph Kabila closed his eyes on James Kabarebe’s dealings and even facilitated some of the transactions. A couple of years ago, an AfroAmerica Network source was, one day, sitting in the office of a congolese official. Then the phone rang. It was General James Kabarebe on the phone. The official kept telling James Kabarebe:”yes, I am the one who ordered to seize the minerals and timber exported to Rwandan because they had not paid taxes and were exploited illegally.” General James Kabarebe said that the merchandise was his. The official said that it does not change anything. James Kabarebe threatened the official and promised the official to hear from him soon. Then he hang up. Some 30 minutes later, the phone rang again. The official asked AfroAmerica Network source to step out of the office. After a few minutes, the official stormed out of the office in fury and said: “I can’t believe it. The president is asking me to release James Kabarebe’s cargo held in the customs.” A few minutes later, the cellphone of the official rang. It was James Kabarebe. He told the official: “I assume the president has talked to you? Now you know you can’t mess with me.”
That is how it works in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Friends, enemies, invaders, officials, rebels, government forces, government leaders, warlords and military officers: it is all mixed up.
©2012 AfroAmerica Network. All Rights Reserved.
Comments on this entry are closed.
ahahaha,that is why i dont believe this blog,don’t you see these are different people?please! don’t make us fools,we are tired with your fake stories.
Miguelle, do not be ridiculous. Even a near sighted person can see that the picture is of the KABAREBE james and KANAMBE KABILA joseph when they were young boys.
About Photo J Kabarebe + J. Kabila, i wonder why Kabila is taller than Kabarebe? How old are the 2 boys.
No. He is not. Look closer. It is due to perspective.
Ur story is fake to a large extent. Kabarebe was born in 1959 and Joseph Kabila in 1970, they are not in the same age bracket to be childhood friends. Reliable sources indicate their connection begun during the war against Mobotu IN 1996 when Joseph was an aide to Kabarebe, travelling with him most of the time with the Ugandan Okwiri Rabwoni. Joseph’s childhood friends, most of the are in Tanzania and Uganda, and in their early 40s. BE CREDIBLE, SOURCE UR STORIES PROPERLY IF U EXPECT PEOPLE TO BEALIEVE WHAT U DO
Bonte you are wrong. Who knows when KABAREBE James was born? Who knows when KANAMBE KABILA was born? some sources say KABAREBE was born in Kigali in 1959, others in Rutshuru in 1963, others in Uganda in 1965. From unknown parents!!! Some documents say KANAMBE was born in Tanzania in 1970, others say he was born in Rwanda in 1967, others that he was born in North Katanga in 1968. Some say KABIRA’s mother is Sifa Maanya. Others say KABAREBE is the brother of Mukabutera, who allegedly is the mother of who… you guess it! So, please let the story tell itself. The picture clearly shows KABAREBE and KABILA KANAMBE. In the picture, it is clear KABAREBE looks older than KABILA KANAMBE. Who says that an 18 years old cannot be a friend of a 13 years old? Or perhaps an uncle!!!