Central African Republic leader pleads for regional recognition

Central Africa Republic (CAR) leader Michel Djotodia Wednesday defended a coup he masterminded in his country early this year as regional leaders pored over solutions to incessant conflicts.

Addressing a delegates’ meeting in Nairobi, Mr Djotodia said his Seleka rebels resorted to a coup because there “was no alternative other than using force.”

“In some strong countries, when the people feel they are being oppressed, they have the right to take over and stop the oppressor,” he said at the special summit on the International Conference of the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR), in Nairobi.

“We did not do this because we are greedy for power. There was no alternative other than use of force.”

Mr Djotodia who was visiting Kenya for the first time told the gathering they had gotten worried former president Francois Bozize was planning to eliminate a certain section of the country’s population so he could stick to power.

“Can you imagine a parliament where the head of state was represented through his friends, his wife, his children, and even his girlfriend was also elected? Is that democracy?

"Bozize was in the process of planning genocide in the eyes of all. We understood that it was no longer feasible to negotiate with him because he was not willing," he argued.

Mr Djotodia led the Seleka rebel coalition when they took power in March from the then leader Bozize in a coup. The takeover had been preceded by talks in Libreville, Gabon, where the rebels had signed a pact with Bozize for inclusive reforms to start.

Persistent conflicts

But the former rebel leader argued Bozize reneged on the pact as soon as they went back to Bangui, inciting them into a rebellion. The coup was immediately rejected by Economic Community of Central African States and later followed by the Africa Union which suspended the country from its sessions until it returned to constitutional order.

Yesterday, the persistent conflicts in CAR, south Sudan and Sudan as well as the Democratic Republic of Congo were part of discussion at the sixth ICGLR summit chaired by Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni.

Mr Djotodia pledged his country was on the path to reforms because he had formed a constitutional council which would draft an interim constitution on which elections would be held. He called for support from the AU and the region.

But he was ridiculed by Museveni who charged that the events in CAR were reasons the region should not allow “negative forces.”

At the start of the conference, President Uhuru Kenyatta told the session it would be the responsibility of the region to seek peace.

“It is an African habit to seek brotherhood and work in solidarity; every community of our great continent has a saying that enunciates the Kiswahili proverb, Umoja ni Nguvu (Unity is Strength),” he said.

“We, therefore, appeal for a cessation of attacks on civilians especially women and children, and for a quick resolution of the crisis,” he added referring to the conflict in eastern Congo.

At the summit, representatives of South Sudan and Sudan both pledged to continue pursuing peaceful means to resolve the remaining bits about their separation.

Although south Sudan seceded two years ago, the two Sudans have yet to agree on where the boundaries should be.