In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the change of command ceremony for the armed forces (FARDC) was held this Monday, January 6, at the Kokolo military camp, in Kinshasa. After two years of service, Army General Christian Tshiwewe Songesha handed over his functions as Chief of General Staff to Lieutenant General Jules Banza Mwilambwe, appointed by presidential order, on December 16.
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With our correspondent in Kinshasa, Patient Ligodi
In his brief speech, the outgoing Army General, Christian Tshiwewe Songesha, urged all FARDC units to extend their unwavering support to his successor, Lieutenant General Jules Banza Mwilambwe. He also shared advice that he himself had received, two years earlier, from his predecessor, namely that the outcome of the war in eastern DRC rests, in large part, on the quality of relations to be maintained with civilians.
“ Your success will depend not only on your high sense of loyalty, sacrifice, resilience and determination for the continuity of command, but also on your close collaboration with a population that only aspires to peace and development. “, declared Christian Tshiwewe Songesha.
For his part, Lieutenant General Jules Banza Mwilambwe, during his oath, forcefully affirmed his determination: “ Dedicate all my forces and all my know-how to defending the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of the DRC in the face of all forms of military threat, invasion or aggression and this up to the supreme sacrifice “.
The ceremony, chaired by Félix Tshisekedi, comes as the Congolese army faces persistent insecurity in the east of the country. Faced with the increasing complexity of this situation, the head of state made several reshuffles at the top of the security apparatus.
Jules Banza Mwilambwe becomes the third chief of general staff of the FARDC under his mandate, while the Ministry of Defense has seen a succession of four incumbents since 2019. According to sources in the presidency, these appointments reflect a clear desire to bring military command closer directly to President Tshisekedi.