WAJINGA NYINYI… Is it a CURSE or BLINDNESS? Message to People of Congo and it's Corrupt Leaders

For many years, Congo has gone through hardships. The people of Congo have suffered more than most. From independence in 1960, with the fight for freedom with national hero Patrice Emery Lumumba, to the reign of late president Mobutu with 32 years in power of misery under his dictatorship, to the liberation in 1997 by Mzee Kabila with a hope for a stable and economic free country, to his downfall in 2001 then to more than 18 years of unstable government characterized by corruption, injustice, conflicts, embezzlement and poverty at its highest level.

Today, Congolese people are still going through the same instability, yet hope for a new Congo one day. The wish of the people of Congo has always been to see a country with justice where the economy thrives and people can live just like any other normal human being. Not surviving as is the case today.

The people of Congo hoped for true change when a new government took place in January 2019, with a so called “elected” president. Unfortunately, the hope and change will never happen anytime soon because the new government itself has no power over anything. They turned out to be puppets of the previous president. Hungry for power, the new government stole the election and signed a deal with the previous government for protection.

The habits of corruption within the government continue. This time more visible than ever before. Nothing has changed as people hoped. Everyday money keeps disappearing within government institutions. No one cares. Roads remain unconstructed. Education quality is very low compared to the international standards. Health facilities lack basic supplies and unemployment is at its highest level. This is a country where people live under $2 a day. Overall people are living horrible life conditions. This happen to be the same game in the majority of African countries.

Once in power, even the opposition leaders who claim to fight the corrupt regime and pretend to be on the side of the population keep dancing to the same song and eat from the same table with those they previously claimed to be their enemies. This is why there is a lot of confusion and mistrust.

Recently, one of the top politicians and a leader of a popular opposition political party was accused of misappropriation of government funds. He was detained in a national prison. In Congo's history, this is something rare or almost impossible to happen. People can steal and vanish in thin air as if nothing had happened. Especially when it comes to high authorities, they are above the law and untouchable. This time seemed to be different when this political leader was called to appear in court and temporarily detained.

This should have been an answer to the people who have long suffered to see the oppressor in court. Unfortunately and surprisingly it wasn’t the case for many Congolese.

Amid this coronavirus pandemic, his supporters and some people from his tribal group went in the street asking for his immediate release. Carelessly exposing themselves to the pandemic while marching and protesting the arrest. There have been a lot of speculations about these missing funds from this top political leader. Funds transferred to family members, to different government officials, out of government banks to private accounts and into offshore accounts.

The same people that have spent years struggling in this chaos still went in the street to support the very person and people who are the causing their misery. These situations made me think of the people of Congo as a cursed people - ignorants or "wajinga" in Swahili. I don’t know what else to call them.

Justice is doing its work to make sure those stealing from the government and public funds can face trial. But the naïve "wajinga" people said no. When are you going to let justice do its work? People always complain when there is no justice. But once justice is in place and plays it's role you turn against it again. What exactly do you want?

I also understand this might be a political game as usual. At least the people presumably stealing from public funds should appear in court. Yet you are still against it?There is a Congolese saying, "Kwenye kulotoka moshi, manake kulikuwa moto" - it's very important to let the justice do it's work until proven guilty or not guilty.

Poor people who never benefit from anything from the government, blindly without thinking went to the street and supported these presumed thieves. The same people who have been crying for change, economic growth and stability, still went ahead and supported the ones creating their misery.

The sad part is the same population that has long suffered and oppressed are still protecting their oppressors.

What type of people are you? "wajinga nyinyi"

Since when are you going to start thinking like normal people and practical?

Since when are you going to realize that the same person you clap for is the same person stabbing you in the back?

Since when are you going to put your fanatic away and think critically?

Since when are you going to say yes this is wrong and it needs to be punished?

Since when are you going to understand that politicians can bribe you during his campaign, buy your votes, and later send you to misery.

Since when are you going to understand those in power for many years are the same people who are destroying the country?

Since when are you going to understand in order to establish change we must first change our mentality?

Since when are you going to say it’s enough?

But you’d rather stay in misery by protecting and supporting those oppressing you.

You'd rather accept $100 bribe for five more years of misery.

You's rather support your oppressors so that you can be more oppressed.

And you have decides to ignore reality and blindly defend your oppressor.

What type of people are you? Blind or cursed? Mujinga wewe

The social, political, and economic development of the Congo and Africa in general does not only depend on the government. The African people need to understand that they can all play a part in making the change we need.

You can do this every day by refusing to be manipulated, refusing to be corrupted, refuse to be used for personal gain or in a favor of those putting the country in chaos.

We can all stand against all types of impunity and create the change we need to see in Congo and in Africa as a whole.