Painting by Cheri Samba

Lokuta eyaka na ascenseur, kasi vérité eyei na escalier mpe ekomi. Lies come up in the elevator; the truth takes the stairs but gets here eventually. - Koffi Olomide

Ésthetique eboma vélo. Aesthetics will kill a bicycle. - Felix Wazekwa

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Spotted in Ivory Coast: Bizima Karaha

Some eyebrows have been lifted recently by the AU's choice of envoy to the Ivory Coast: Raila Odinga, the Kenyan Prime Minister who sort of played the Alassane Ouattara in Kenya's own election fiasco of 2007. Some have wondered how the Kenyan's experience would help persuade Gbagbo to step down.

Well, here's another strange character to be in the delegation: Bizima Karaha, the former head of security for the RCD rebellion after being Laurent Kabila's foreign minister. Bizima has been trying to reinvent himself for quite some time - he was close to getting a high-ranking position in government several times in relation to his role in the CNDP peace talks, but never quite made it. Of late, he has popped up as a key political figure behind Gen. Bosco Ntanganda in Goma. It looks like he finally got a top AU job - although his role in the Odinga delegation is not clear (to me at least). What can the former rebel, who had a nasty reputation during his tenure at the head of the RCD security, teach Gbagbo? And who got him the job - Kabila?

Bizima is the one between Gbagbo and Raila. 

10 comments:

james said...

Jason, Bizima Karaha speaks French and Odinga doesn't - which is a disadvantage in a francophone country as the Ivory Coast. Bizima might act as an interpreter. I'd like to read more about Bizima and Bosco Ntaganda...

Anonymous said...

People like Bizima have no place on the continent political affairs. He led a rebel movement (RCD-Goma) which committed lots of atrocities in the Democratic Republic of Congo. He is the kind of person who believes in getting into power by un-democratic means such as use of force, rendering the country ungovernable, and ethnic cleansing.
He is of the conviction that the minority should not only rule the majority, but also marginalize it. Hence pioneering the theory of Tutsi supremacy in Africa, especially in the Great Lake region.
I think Mr Bizima has no moral authority or a lesson to give to Africa. Africa needs visionary leaders who can dare to stand bold and defend African interest.
His presence into Mr R. Obinga delegation means one thing: “Dear G. Sorro, Alassan Ouattara! Don’t waste time. Take up arms and seize power”

Anonymous said...

Let's not forget to add to his CV, Bizima Karaha, as Minister of Foreign Affairs of the DRC under President Laurent Desire Kabila, walked away with millions of USD destined to pay Congolese civil servants working in embassies abroad.

Anonymous said...

I thought I was dreaming when I saw him next to Odinga.

As for the person who got him the job, maybe it is Patrick Mazimpaka.

babrao kakudji said...

Are you not smart enough to understand the game?
Bizima Karaha is an expert. he accomplished a lot for his masters. look where we are right now in DRC; the country is looted from top to bottom, and the UN is there to supervise the looting" just shut up or y're a rapist. The case Kundabatare felt prey to oblivion,
what's the difference betwen Charles tallor and Kunda?
Mr Bagbo must fight; the history said " those who want to live, let them fight, and those who do not want to fihgt in this world of eternal struggle do not deserve to live. The OAU should be abolish.

Anonymous said...

Bizima is biggest killer why is in negotiation, i am very worry to see this man in ivory cost. i believe soon it will be the genocite.

Anonymous said...

Now that gbagbo surrendered 'that way'i wonder what influence did bizima karaha had on the whole issue?

Anonymous said...

I wonder where Bizima karaha at tihs moment?guess,he seems to be fuellinng conflict somewhere.

Anonymous said...

The game is very simple, westerners in their attempt to split and conquer Africa have chosen to use our brothers they call "Nilotics" to this group belong : Tutsis, Luwos in Kenya(Odinga and Obama are both luwos and cousins), Hemas (Museveni), Ethiopians. No wonder why the African Union "Peace keeping" forces are made of those peoples. Those Countries (Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Burundi, Rwanda) are the only ones that have invaded and occupied another African country !!

But through the AU they bypass arms controls and get trainings, intelligence and equipment from the USA-AFRICOM.

They suffer a deep inferiority complex vis a vis of whites people that's why they serve them with no question and are ready to decimate other black including their own kind that are resisting (Somalis, Eritreans).

We Bantous and other blacks should unite and fight back otherwise our children will go back to slavery.

VIVE LE CONGO!!!
MORT AUX INYENZIS!!

Anonymous said...

I also wondered how Bizima Karaha got it right to be in Raila Odinga's delegation to Cote d'Ivoire. African people must learn to understand that the scramble for Africa and its resources never ended thus the huge financing of this silly unending wars. Place for people such as Bizima Karaha are the Hague.

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