In the article published on Monday, April 23, 2018, AfroAmerica Network disclosed, based on sources within the Rwandan Government and the Congolese refugees in Rwandan camps that Moïse Katumbi was planning to travel to Rwanda (see DRC presidential contender Moïse Katumbi, threatens to launch a war to overthrow Joseph Kabila? ). On Thursday, Moïse Katumbi confirmed, in a tweet, that he had arrived in Kigali, Rwanda, officially to attend the 2018 Mo-Ibrahim Forum meeting and the celebration of 2017 Mo Ibrahim Foundation Laureate, former Liberian president Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.
However, according to sources contacted by AfroAmerica Network, the Mo Ibrahim Forum appears to be a cover. In fact, Moïse Katumbi's tweet seems to refer to the real reason of his trip.
He said: "[Ellen Johnson Sirleaf] is model for Africa for having peacefully and democratically stepped down and handed over power. We look forward to a similar hand over of power in DRC on December 23, 2018".
However, according to sources contacted by AfroAmerica Network, the Mo Ibrahim Forum appears to be a cover. In fact, Moïse Katumbi's tweet seems to refer to the real reason of his trip. He said: "[Ellen Johnson Sirleaf] is model for Africa for having peacefully and democratically stepped down and handed over power. We look forward to a similar hand over of power in DRC on December 23, 2018".
As disclosed in the AfroAmerica article, before landing in Kigali, Moïse Katumbi's advance team led by his father-in-law, a Burundian former Ambassador and opposition leader, and his wife, Carine Katumbi arrived in Kigali, on Tuesday,
According to the sources, once in Kigali, as planned, Moïse Katumbi held meetings to review his DRC invasion plan with the Rwandan military officials and ex-23 rebels, led by Colonel Baudoin Ngaruye and Colonel Innocent Zimulinda. Over the week-end, he will also meet the leaders of Congolese refugees to reassure them that once in power in Kinshasa, he will look after their interests and pay adequate rewards. The invasion is allegedly planned for late July 2018, if Joseph Kabila declares himself a candidate for his own succession.
The questions in Kigali and among observers are about Moïse Katumbi's travel to Kigali at this specific moment, but also on Mo Ibrahim Foundation's rationale for choosing Kigali as the site of The Ibrahim Governance Weekend. Rwandan dictator Paul Kagame, has repressed any dissenting voice, rejected any democratic reform and recently changed the constitution of his country to remain in power and crowned himself president for life.
Hence the planned "three-day event of prominent African political and business leaders, representatives from civil society, multilateral and regional institutions as well as Africa’s major international partners to debate issues of critical importance to Africa" may turnout out to be an ideal cover for planning the invasion of Democratic Republic of the Congo by the Rwandan dictator Paul Kagame who stands against all of the Mo Ibrahim Foundation's principles and goals, using one of the supposed participants, Moïse Katumbi, as a proxy.
