From: wsargeant@igc.apc.org (Winslow L. Sargeant)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.african
Subject: IPS:Zaire, opposition weakened aas showd'
Date: 23 Jul 92 18:43:47 GMT

/* Written 12:03 am  Jul 23, 1992 by newsdesk in cdp:ips.englibrary */
/* ---------- "ZAIRE: OPPOSITION WEAKENED AS SHOWD" ---------- */
Copyright Inter Press Service 1992, all rights reserved.  Permission to re-
print within 7 days of original date only with permission from 'newsdesk'.

Area: Opecna Morning Transmission
Title: ZAIRE: OPPOSITION WEAKENED AS SHOWDOWN WITH MOBUTU LOOMS


kinshasa, jul 20 (ips/louis okamba) -- zaire's national
conference for political reform resumes its plenary session this
week with the radical opposition of the sacred union deserted by
a number of key figures.

the development will undermine the clout of the majority
sacred union alliance in the national conference as the
opposition prepares for a showdown with president mobutu sese
seko over control of the transition to democracy process.

the first voice of dissent was that of singa udjuu, former
influential member of the sacred union who in june created the
''the alliance of independent forces for change'' (afci) which
groups together 12 political parties.

this coalition commands 18 percent of the membership of
the 2400-strong national conference.

erstwhile president of mobutu's former sole party, the
popular movement for the revolution (mpr), and current
agriculture minister, udjuu told ips that the afci's objective
was neither a breakdown of the sacred union or the presidency.

according to udjuu, afci's ambition lies in playing the role
of arbitrator as the sacred union prepares to push through its
plans in the national conference for the transition period in
which mobutu will be allowed to ''reign'' but not to ''rule'',
subordinate to a transition prime minister.

the formation in june of ''the union of nationalist and
lumumbiste forces'' (ufonal) constitutes yet another threat to
the domination of the radical alliance in the national
conference.

led by antoine gizenga, a cabinet minister during the 1960's,
ufonal denounces many of the ideas proposed by the sacred union,
notably turning this central african country into a federation
of 23 states.

ufonal is against the ''balkanisation of zaire'' and calls
for the ''safeguarding of national unity'' among zaire's
13-million people.

ufonal's quest for independence was concretised last week by
the announcement that they were fielding gizenga as a candidate
for the premiership of the transition, in competition with the
sacred union's etienne tshisekedi.

a source close to ufonal says gizenga will announce his
candidature for the presidential elections ''at an opportune
time''.


zaire: opposition (2)

kamitatu massamba, vice president of the social democratic
christian party (pdsc), considered the second largest party in
the sacred union is also challenging for the premiership.

despite the absence of an official reaction to kamitatu's
intention, radical oppposition circles regard this move as
''manipulation'' by the authorities to thwart tshisekedi.

mobutu, who has ruled zaire for 27-years, has consistently
attempted to break the national conference and in particular the
sacred union since announcing the end of the one-party state and
transition to democracy in 1990.

sources in kinshasa suggest kamitatu has a grudge against
tshisekedi -- who was called in briefly by mobutu last year to
form a government only to be locked out of his office when he
attempted to take real authority. according to kamitatu,
tshisekedi renaged on an agreement to appoint him interior
minister.

as the rift grows within the sacred union, question marks
hang over its future at a time when it faces its sternest test
over the adoption of a transition charter and the election of a
transition prime minister.

a member of the union for democracy and social progress
(upds), in the sacred union coalition, told ips that his party
had never counted on the committment of the pdsc and that cases
like kamitatu's will become ''numerous'' in the sacred union.

requesting anonyimity he said the problem with the alliance
was the ''marriage of interests and ambitions'' which would make
it difficult for the sacred union to hang together much longer.

the national conference, opened in august 1991 and despite
containing several paper parties financed by mobutu, he closed
it in december when the conference finally began to get down to
serious work on the transition. international pressure forced
mobutu to back-track.

but through co-option of politicians, parties and the control
of the brutal security forces, mobutu has managed to cling on to
power. in the coming weeks, a clash between a weakened sacred
union and mobutu is inevitable. (end/ips/lo/tvh/oa/920