Early in the morning of May 19, 2024, a group of armed men in military uniforms, and waving the Zaire flags, attacked the residence of Vital Kamerhe, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Economy, and then the Palais de la Nation, the seat of the Presidency, where President Felix Tshisekedi is usually based. After a few hours, the Republican Guard was able to regain the control of the areas. The spokesperson of the army confirmed that there was a failed military coup by a group of armed men from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and foreign powers. According to AfroAmerica Network sources close to the DRC Republican Guard, the Rwandan Army is the first suspect.
The attempted coup started around 4:30 AM, with rounds of gunshots in Gombe, in the capital KInshasa.
The first target was the residence of Vital Kamerhe, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Economy, who is also running as the sole candidate for the post of President of the National Assembly.
The attackers were heavily armed and in military uniform, waving the flags of Zaire, the old name of the Democratic Republic of the Congo then under the late dictator Mobutu Sese Seko.
Michel Moto, the spokesperson for Vital Kamerhe and the national deputy for his party, confirmed that Vital Kamerhe and his family were unharmed as they were protected and hidden by the police officers assigned to their guard. Hoever, two of the police officers assigned to Vital Kamerhe as well as one of the attackers were killed during the attack.
In the meantime, a unit from the heavily armed men was attacking the Palais de la Nation, the seat of the DR Congo Presidency. That attack was also stopped, with more casualties. The whereabouts of President Felix Tshisekedi and his family remain a secret.
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Attackers Speaking Lingala and English: Rwandan Army Suspected of Being Behind the Coup Attempt
The attackers, dressed in fatigues and waving Zaire flags, were mainly speaking in Lingala. However, based on the police reports seen by AfroAmerica Network sources and confirmed in videos published on social media, the attackers also made a few statements English, saying that the time of Felix Tshisekedi in an English slang, commonly used in Rwanda "Felix we are coming for you Nigga", and were reading the command instructions in English regarding how they must conduct the coup operations.
The the operation instructions in English and the manners and the conduct of the attackers and their commanders pointed to potential links with the Rwandan army. Hence, the Rwandan army is now a major suspect behind the coup attempt.
Until now, the Republican Guard has been deployed on Boulevard Tshatshi, with armored vehicles in positions around the Palais de la Nation and the streets near Vital Kamerhe's residence under military guard. The Republican Guard has arrested many in the group of attackers, dressed in fatigues with Zaire flags. The top leader of the attackers, Christian Mulanga Musumari, allegedly a dual Congolese and American citizen was killed. His 22-years-old son was captured along with other attackers.
A security meeting was called.
Update as of the End of May 19, 2024: Christian Mulanga Musumari and How the Coup Failed
The initial interrogations of the detained point to Rwandan army agents, who had reached Kinshasa after crossing the border with Brazzaville, Congo and working with Christian Mulanga Musumari and some recruited soldiers from the the Republican Guard.
According to the sources, the investigation so far show that Christian Mulanga Musumari, who was close to former President Joseph Kabila, was recruited by Rwanda’s National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS), with the promise to be appointed the new president if the coup were to succeed. Some captured armed men confided that Christian Mulanga Musumari was in contact with the Rwandan Head of NISS, Brigadier General Jean Paul Nyirubutama, the Rwanda Defence Force Chief of Defence Staff, Gen J Bosco Kazura, and Joseph Kabila.
He had been promised to have the support of most of the Republican Guard soldiers and was also given under cover soldiers from the Rwandan Army.
However, the plan did not go as planned. There were miscommunication between the armed men under the command Christian Mulanga Musumari and the recruited undercover agents within the Republican Guard regarding the exact timing of the coup at the Palais de la Nation.
Hence, when the armed men under the command Christian Mulanga Musumari reached the Palais de la Nation on the wrong timing, they walked in the trap set by the Republican Guard soldiers who were loyal to President Felix Tshisekedi. The overconfident Christian Mulanga Musumari was leading the armed men and hence was the first to be gunned down and killed. Others, including his son and another American citizen, from the State of Maryland, were shot and captured.
what is next for Corneille Nangaa and his AFC/M23?
The failed coup happened as the Rwandan Army is also supporting new rebel group, Alliance Fleuve Congo. (AFC), led the exiled former director of the Congolese electoral commission (CENI), Corneille Nangaa. It is well documented that Alliance Fleuve Congo (AFC) is also supported by the Rwandan Army providing the weapons and combatants through M23-rebels and funding from some of the well known Congolese leaders, including former President Joseph Kabila and General John Numbi, his central figure and right hand during his administration (see DR Congo - Rwanda : After Comparing Rwandan Dictator Paul Kagame to Hitler, DR Congo President Tshisekedi Promises Overthrowing His Regime If Reelected).
Corneille Nangaa was also promised the presidency of DR Congo by both Paul Kagame and Joseph Kabila, as M23 rebels pushed forward. Now, with the failed coup and the challenges faced by M23 rebels in Eastern DR Congo, he may have found out that he was just an instrument like Christian Mulanga Musumari, and hence was betrayed by both the Rwandan leaders and former President Joseph Kabila and General John Numbi.
The question now is now about his next steps? Will Corneille Nangaa flee or continue to serve as yet another puppet, while awaiting his own fate?
AfroAmerica is still following the situation.
©2024 AfroAmerica Network.
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