12 07 13 Congo Siasa – Promotions in Congolese army, precursors to military reform?

Yesterday, the
Congolese media published a list of
new promotions in the Congolese army, including 106 new generals. This includes
three ex-CNDP commanders: Esaie Munyakazi, Innocent Gahizi and Innocent Kabundi,
but also a whole slew of former Mai-Mai and Hutu Local Defence commanders
(Alunda, Nakabaka, Kasikila, Mayanga, and Rugayi).

In any case, the
promotions are not the real story, although they do provide some solace to
officers who were worrying about their future. In the Congo, very little money
depends on your ranks––a Lieutenant-General earns a monthly salary of around
$130, just about $60 more than the rank-and-file soldier. The money comes with
the position, which bring with it official supplements (prime de
commandement, fond secret de renseignement, etc.) as well as opportunities
for all kind of illegal rackets. So the real news will come when the new army
structure is announced and new positions are doled out, which according to some
of those promoted may come later this week.

What is this new structure?
According to the official plan, the county will be split into three Zones de
Défense, based in Kisangani, Lubumbashi, and Kinshasa. Each zone will have
three rapid reaction brigades, two defense brigades, and a share of the 20
regiments (to be reconstituted out of the current 32). As the current military
regions will remain, this means that a new layer of military bureaucracy will be
created, creating hundreds of new positions for officers.

Will these new
structures be successful? Hard to say––the army reform plan deals mostly with
form, not with substance. It creates new structures, calls for new equipment and
more training. But it does not provide remedies for the root problems of the
army: parallel chains of command, rampant racketeering and embezzlement, and
impunity.

These new structures will, however, allow the government to
deploy some of the ex-Mai-Mai and ex-CDNP officers who have been involved in
local militia politics, smuggling, and profiteering in the Kivus in recent
years. But
will the new commanders be better?