To correct this, Didier Bayeye a Congolese political analyst says the army has had to “cleanse” the army by not only words, but “harsh and stringent measures”.

Bayeye was speaking on Channel Africa’s Africa Update Bayeye delved into the country’s history, while addressing the recent decision by the DRC’s military tribunal to sentence 13 soldiers to death on charges that include murder, looting, and cowardice.

 Military authorities stated the move aims to strengthen army discipline following territorial losses caused by soldiers abandoning their positions.

“As much as it seems harsh and going against human rights, these things have to be looked at and seen completely differently from just people here. This is not the first time people are being sentenced to death in the DRC. It has happened in the then Zaire, by then President Mobuto Sese Seko. A famous one was one June 1, 1966 when four dignitaries were hanged publicly due to what was considered national treason or the betrayal of the country,” said Bayeye.

“Before the current President (Felix Tshisekedi) took power, the DRC experienced what we never saw in many African country, where the Chief of the army was a foreigner from Rwanda. Even now he still occupies a very high ranked position in Rwanda, by the name John Kabaribe. The DRC also had the Minister of Foreign Affairs who was also from Rwanda. This process has weakened the internal workings, including that of the army of the DRC. This has brought a lot of intruders, traitors into the army. With the current regime, the army has been going through the cleansing process and unfortunately this cleansing process cannot just happen with words, there has to be harsh and stringent measures against the perpetrators,” Bayeye said.

This will serve as a deterrent and lesson to the army, Bayeye said. With regard to the fairness of the trial, Bayeye pointed out to Tshisekedi’s never having served in the military in any capacity as an indication that the trial had been fair.

“There is a military judiciary in the DRC as there is in any other place, and this can only happen after all the evidence has been brought forward. This is not based on rumors, but based on evidence that has been presented. Due to high levels of treason in the past, rules have been tightened in the DRC army,” he said.

--ChannelAfrica--