Political analyst Christian Moleka has said that the Democratic Republic of Congo’s (DRC) strategy in the race to lead the International Organisation of La Francophonie (OIF) suggests that Kinshasa is more focused on opposing Rwanda than supporting its own candidate, Juliana Lumumba.
Moleka made the remarks during a discussion on journalist Stanislas Bujakera’s X Space, where he argued that the DRC’s approach to the contest shows that efforts to block Rwanda’s candidacy have taken precedence over building support for its own candidate.
“Kinshasa’s strategy within the OIF appears more focused on opposing Rwanda than on supporting Juliana Lumumba,” he said.
Moleka noted that the DRC took a long time to decide which candidate to support. He also suggested that Juliana Lumumba was not initially the leading choice among the names considered for the position, but may have ranked second or third.
He criticised the Congolese leadership for failing to capitalise on the positive momentum generated by the 2023 Francophonie Games, which were hosted in Kinshasa, to prepare early and identify a strong candidate capable of leading the organisation.
He said the campaign started late, while Kinshasa had spent considerable time expecting France to support its candidate.
However, Moleka believes Paris has faced a difficult choice over whether to support Kinshasa or Kigali.
He added that France appears to be exploring an alternative that could bridge differences between the competing sides, through Dacian Cioloș, the former Prime Minister of Romania, who is seen as a candidate capable of accommodating the interests of different parties.
According to Moleka, this suggests that the contest for OIF leadership is not simply about securing the position but is also shaped by the diplomatic tensions that have persisted between the DRC and Rwanda.
Rwandan national Louise Mushikiwabo, who has led the organisation since 2019, is seeking another term and faces three other candidates: Juliana Amato Lumumba of the DRC, Coumba Bâ of Mauritania and Dacian Cioloș of Romania.
