Thread by @NoelKambanda

1) Mercenaries are fighters who are money oriented without any cause; they can’t die for you before they eat their money. I hear in DRC they are paid thousands of dollars after the leaders have taken their share of the money.

The history of mercenaries in DRC is not new

THREAD

2) The story of mercenaries in DRC is older as the problem of Congolese Kinyarwanda Speakers. In 1965 Congolese army recruited mercenaries known as “ 5 Commando” Unit to fight a Communist-inspired rebellion that broke out in the Congo province of Kwilu.

3) In 1967, on national Radio the then President of Congo, Mobutu Sese Seko described President of Rwanda Kayibanda as a
"Short President, without glasses...leading a small country" after he received Col Jean Schramme and his mercenaries following their defeat in Bukavu

4) In 1997 President Mobutu recruited the White Legion, a mercenary unit from Ex Yugoslavia during the First Congo War (1996-1997) with the task of defending the city of Kisangani. This effort was largely unsuccessful and in mid-March 1997 the mercenaries left the country

5) In 1998, President LD Kabila recruited Rwandan mercenaries made by genocide fugitives who had fled to Congo Brazza, Central Africa Republic and Malawi. They were led by Gen Augustin Bizimungu, Maj Leodomir Mugaragu, Maj Protais Mpiranya, Maj Mudacumura

6) President Laurent Desire Kabila mobilized three brigades made up of former Ex-FAR and Interahamwe militia.
He vowed to march to Kigali and bulldoze entire Rwanda to make it the biggest Congolese Airport.

7) In July 2022, President Tshisekedi was asked on plans to use the Wegner Group mercenaries, during his interview with @FT and he said
“I know it’s fashionable now . . [but] no, we don’t need to use mercenaries, I don’t even know where to find them.” who believes Tshisekedi?