Tensions with Rwanda: President Félix Tshisekedi dismisses his private adviser

Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi is reducing the size of his cabinet.

© RFI/France 24

Text by: RFI Follow

1 min

President Félix Tshisekedi has cleaned up his entourage.

The most significant change concerns the departure of Fortunat Biselele, the influential private adviser to the President of the Republic.

Advertising

Read more

With our correspondent in Kinshasa,

Patient Ligodi

Félix Tshisekedi reduced the staff of his cabinet, dismissed some caciques and confirmed certain pillars of the regime deemed loyal, reliable and effective.

Among the dismissed, Fortunat Biselele bears the brunt of strained relations between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

He was practically the handyman of the Kigali-Kinshasa axis.

Linchpin of the economic and security rapprochement between the two capitals, its influence declined as the M23 advanced on several fronts in North Kivu, thus relativizing the effectiveness of its secret diplomacy.

Some in Felix Tshisekedi's entourage even began to suspect him of playing " 

the enemy's game

 ".

He was not even associated with the last meetings, add the same sources.

Long heard by the ANR

Before being sidelined, Fortunat Biselele was heard at length by the National Intelligence Agency (ANR) and his residence was searched, according to security sources.

He is replaced by Kahumbu Mandungu Bula, hitherto executive coordinator of the monitoring and control coordination office for the Banana deep-water port construction project.

In parallel with the departure of Fortunat Biselele, Serge Tshibangu has meanwhile consolidated his place in the security and strategic system of Félix Tshisekedi.

Serge Tshibangu has been confirmed as head of the monitoring of the main peace processes and has been appointed High Representative for the monitoring of the Luanda roadmap and the Nairobi process.

As a result, he will at the same time have to manage sensitive relations with the M23, via the emissaries from Kigali, and also manage dialogue with other armed groups.

Newsletter

Receive all the international news directly in your mailbox

I subscribe

Follow all the international news by downloading the RFI application

  • ground floor

  • Felix Tshisekedi