By The Girl Behind The Dreamer’s Pause
June 30, 2025
Today marks the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Independence Day. But instead of a celebration, I’m here with a reflection — a painful, necessary, and overdue one.
You see, from the outside, it always looked like President Félix Tshisekedi was doing nothing. I said it. I wrote it. Like many others, I was angry. I was frustrated. I saw a man who seemed silent in a nation falling apart. But today, I understand that silence differently. It wasn’t passivity. It was survival. It was strategy.
Let’s talk about it.
📚 Catch Up First:
Before you continue, please read these earlier posts. They show the journey I’ve been on — emotionally, politically, and intellectually:
"Bitter Truth, Sweet Resistance"
"All I See Is Water, Where Is Leadership?"
"Is the DRC–US Mineral Deal a Step Forward or a Trap?"
"Congo Is Falling Apart and No One in Power Cares"
"Congo: A Nation of Wealth Betrayed by Its Own"
"Congo: A Nation with Everything, Yet Nothing"
"Congo at a Crossroads: Is Félix Tshisekedi the Leader We Think He Is?"
"Congo Bleeds and the World Watches"
These weren’t just blog posts. They were honest moments — my rants, my doubts, my comparisons, and my disappointment in Congo’s leadership. But now that we know what was happening behind the scenes, we have to re-examine everything.
✍️ From Confusion to Clarity
It turns out, Tshisekedi wanted to act — he just couldn’t.
The reality is: he was surrounded. Not by just political opposition, but by enemies planted within. Most of these infiltrators were linked to Joseph Kabila — a man proven to have Rwandan roots and a deep connection to foreign agendas that harmed Congo. The betrayal didn’t come from outside our borders; it started within.
The soldiers, the generals, even civilians who claimed Congolese identity — many weren’t. They were Rwandan by origin, protected by the system Kabila built. And this web of infiltration made governance nearly impossible.
🌐 The Washington Accord – Signed June 27, 2025
In Washington D.C., Tshisekedi did what many thought he was incapable of: he secured a treaty.
Key details:
Rwandan troops to fully withdraw within 90 days
Bilateral monitoring of borders to prevent further incursions
No future exploitation of Congo’s minerals without formal agreements
Joint condemnation of rebel support on both sides
Treaty officially witnessed by the United States
This was not weakness. This was strategy. While many of us thought he was on vacation, he was knocking on international doors.
🌿 The US–DRC Mineral Partnership: A Smart Move?
We’ve been skeptical. I’ve been skeptical. Partnering with the West always felt like dependency.
But when your own house is burning from the inside, sometimes the neighbor with the fire hose becomes necessary. Tshisekedi signed a second agreement — with the United States — allowing for secure, structured, and transparent use of Congo’s minerals in exchange for infrastructure support, political protection, and economic reinvestment.
Was it ideal? No. Was it necessary? Absolutely.
😎 The Burkina Faso Comparison: A Misguided View
In one of my earlier posts, I compared Congo to Burkina Faso — admiring the bold leadership of Captain Ibrahim Traoré. I asked why we couldn’t do the same.
Now I understand. Traoré took power through a military coup. His path was radical, direct, and aggressive. Tshisekedi, however, was elected, yet trapped in a system that was never built for him to lead freely.
So no, we can’t compare. Different countries, different conditions, different battles.
❤️ I Was Wrong About Tshisekedi — And I Salute Him
Yes, I was harsh. I doubted him. But today, with all I’ve come to learn, I can finally say:
Félix Tshisekedi fought back. Not through noise, but through strategy. He played the long game. He sought alliances where there were none. He dismantled enemy strongholds piece by piece. Generals were arrested. Plots were exposed. Foreign networks were cut off.
And to those comparing him to Kabila — STOP! Kabila oversaw years of violence, poverty, silence, and blood. Under him, Congolese people were hunted in their own country.
Tshisekedi is not perfect. But he never sold us.
📍 What Independence Day Means Now
For me, this year’s Independence Day is no longer just symbolic. It is personal. It is political. It is truth-facing.
Congo is still broken — but we are breaking the chains one by one.
And I am still The Dreamer. But now I dream with strategy.
Happy Independence Day, DRC. We see you. We defend you. And we are no longer fooled. ✊🏿🇨🇩
— The Girl Behind The Dreamer’s Pause
Disclaimer: Images used on this blog are for illustrative purposes only and remain the property of their respective owners. No copyright infringement is intended.
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