The Trumpet Newspaper Issue 610 (November 15 - 28 2023)

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V O L 29 N O 610 N O V E M B E R 15 - 28 2023 

25 th 

Joseph Kabila (Photo Credits - European Parliament CC Licence) 

DRC ELECTIONS: 

The Kabila family 

legacy looms large 

over the country’s polls 

By Jonathan Beloff, 

King's College London 

Continued on Page 2> 

Sudan war 

turning 

‘homes into 

cemeteries’ 

- UNHCR 

The war between rival 

militaries in Sudan is 

growing in scope and 

brutality, having driven almost 

six million people from their 

homes since it erupted in April 

and worsening an already 

complex humanitarian 

emergency, the UN refugee 

agency (UNHCR) has warned. 

“The war that erupted without 

warning turned previously 

peaceful Sudanese homes into 

cemeteries,” said Dominique 

Hyde, Director of External 

Relations at UNHCR. 

She visited the country last 

week, and witnessed a surge in 

human suffering. 

“Away from the eyes of the 

world and the news headlines, 

the conflict in Sudan continues 

to rage. Across the country, an 

unimaginable humanitarian 

crisis is unfolding, as more and 

more people are displaced by the 

relentless fighting,” Ms. Hyde 

added. 

Within Sudan, 4.5 million 

people have been internally 

displaced since April, when the 

war began, while a further 1.2 

million – mostly women and 

girls – fled to neighbouring 

countries, including Chad. 

Repeat of atrocities in 

Darfur 

The UNHCR official 

highlighted the situation in the 

Continued on Page 10

Page2 TheTrumpet NOVEMBER 15 - 28 2023 

News 

DRC elections: 

The Kabila family legacy looms 

large over the country’s polls 

Continued from Page 1< 

The Democratic Republic of 

Congo is expected to hold 

elections on 20 December 

2023. The country’s electoral 

commission has announced 

President Felix Tshisekedi will be 

seeking reelection alongside 23 other 

candidates. They include Nobel 

Peace Prize winner Denis Mukwege 

and the runner-up in the 2018 

Presidential election, Martin Fayulu. 

The courts will confirm the final list 

of candidates. One key political 

figure has yet to make his intentions 

known: Joseph Kabila. He was 

President for 18 years until 

Tshisekedi took over in 2019. The 

DRC’s constitution allows two fiveyear 

terms, but he remained in power 

by delaying elections. He holds 

substantial political, military and 

business sway. 

Jonathan R. Beloff is a political 

scholar who researches the politics 

and security of the Democratic 

Republic of Congo, Rwanda, 

Burundi and Uganda. We asked him 

some questions. 

DR Congo's President Felix Tshisekedi 

What is the Kabila family’s 

place in the DRC’s politics? 

Joseph Kabila was the country’s 

fourth President. He took office after 

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the assassination of his father, 

Laurent Kabila, who was killed by 

his bodyguard in 2001. Joseph later 

won Presidential elections in 2006 

and 2011. 

The surprise 2018 election of 

Felix Tshisekedi, who took power in 

January 2019, as President 

interrupted more than two decades of 

the Kabila family’s rule. At the time, 

Joseph was constitutionally barred 

from running for President – and he 

had already overshot his second term 

by more than three years. 

The Kabila family became a 

political powerhouse after gaining 

control in 1996. With the assistance 

of other countries – such as 

neighbours Uganda, Angola and 

Rwanda – the Alliance of 

Democratic Forces for the Liberation 

of Congo, under the leadership of 

Laurent Kabila, overthrew the longstanding 

Zairian dictator, Mobutu 

Sese Seko. This was during the First 

Continued on Page 10

News 

NOVEMBER 15 - 28 2023 


Giant lungs tour England to 

encourage Black community to 

act on early lung cancer symptoms 

Page3 

The National Health Service 

(NHS) will visit thousands of 

people in England’s Lung 

Cancer hotspots with giant inflatable 

lungs this month, to raise awareness of 

potential cancer symptoms and help 

catch cancer earlier. 

The Let’s Talk Lung Cancer 

roadshow, run between NHS England 

and Roy Castle Lung Foundation, kicks 

off as new survey data reveals that just 

under two in five (39%) Black 

respondents would see their GP if they 

had a cough for three weeks or more. 

While one in five (20%) Black 

individuals surveyed believe that lung 

cancer only affects smokers. 

Almost 2 in 3 (64%) Black survey 

respondents also believed that or were 

unsure whether lung cancer only affects 

a small amount of people every year in 

England, when in fact it’s the leading 

cause of cancer deaths in the UK. 

As a 49-year-old non-smoker with 

a healthy lifestyle, Spike was shocked 

to be diagnosed with lung cancer. 

There was just something that didn’t 

feel right to me – I was constantly tired 

and had an ache across my shoulders – 

so I went to my GP. It never crossed my 

mind that it could be lung cancer. I 

Continued on Page 4

Page4 


TheTrumpet Group 

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TheTrumpet (ISSN: 1477-3392) 

is published in London fortnightly 

thought that just affected older, white 

people and smokers’ 

Diagnosing lung cancer early 

dramatically increases people’s 

chances of survival – those diagnosed 

at stages one or two are nearly 20 times 

more likely to survive for five years or 

more than those whose cancer is caught 

at later stages. As such, Spike wants to 

encourage more people to come 

forward if they have symptoms. 

He said: ‘It can be scary to think 

about cancer, but it’s more frightening 

to leave it longer than you need to and 

miss out on vital treatment that could 

save your life. If you’ve had a cough for 

three weeks or more, please get it 

checked for your own peace of mind.’ 

As part of the roadshow, specialist 

teams of volunteers will assist the 

campaign to educate the public and 

help catch more cancers early. 

Thousands of people are expected to 

see the giant inflatable lungs in 

communities across the country – 

including supermarkets, shopping 

centres and local high streets – with the 

public urged to get checked if they have 

signs and symptoms. 

The inflatable organs allow visitors 

to observe and learn about typical lung 

structures, lung health, and the effects 

of smoking. 

Community engagement teams and 

volunteers will be on hand to talk to 

members of the public and encourage 

those with suspected symptoms to visit 

their GP as soon as possible. 

This comes as survey data also 

shows that just over 2 in 5 (44%) Black 

people surveyed would visit their GP if 

they had a chest infection that kept 

coming back, and only a little over a 

third would do the same if they had a 

loss of appetite or unexplained weight 

News 

Giant lungs tour England to 

encourage Black community to 

act on early lung cancer symptoms 


Spike 

loss (35%), which are lesser-known 

signs of lung cancer. 

Clinical Lead, Dr. Seun Bakare, 

said: ‘It troubles me that so many 

people in the Black community aren’t 

aware of how common lung cancer is. 

You don’t have to fit a certain profile – 

it can happen to anyone, unfortunately. 

Going out and raising awareness 

through this campaign is vital in 

making sure that people understand the 

symptoms – such as a cough that lasts 

three weeks or more – and reassuring 

them that the best course of action is to 

get medical advice. The earlier you 

come forward, the better your chances.’ 

Chief Executive of Roy Castle 

Lung Cancer Foundation, Paula 

Chadwick, said: “It is staggering that 

so many of those surveyed still do not 

know how prevalent lung cancer is. We 

believe this stems from a reluctance, 

even aversion, to talking about lung 

cancer, and that is largely because of its 

links to smoking and associated stigma. 

“That’s why these events are so 

important. They give us the opportunity 

to have one-on-one conversations with 

people who may not realise they are at 

risk, who may not recognise potential 

symptoms or could feel unable to act on 

them. 

“If we can help just one person get 

diagnosed earlier when lung cancer can 

be treated more easily, then that is 

worth doing”. 

The roadshow will travel around the 

country throughout the month of 

November – Lung Cancer Awareness 

Month – as part of the NHS Help Us, 

Help You campaign. The roadshow 

aims to begin conversations about the 

illness and its symptoms. 

The NHS’s Help Us, Help You lung 

cancer campaign focuses specifically 

on raising awareness of the key 

symptom of lung cancer – a cough that 

lasts for three weeks or more. While it 

might seem like nothing serious, if it is 

cancer, finding it early means it’s more 

treatable and can save lives. The 

campaign will encourage those who 

have this symptom to contact their GP 

practice and remind the public that the 

NHS wants to see them. 

In addition to the symptom of a 

cough for three weeks or more, other 

symptoms of lung cancer include: 

• chest infections that keep coming 

back 

• coughing up blood 

• a long-standing cough that gets 

worse 

• an ache or pain when breathing or 

coughing 

• persistent breathlessness 

• persistent tiredness or lack of energy 

• loss of appetite or unexplained 

weight loss. 

To find out more please visit 

nhs.uk/cancersymptoms 

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Events 



EPRA Awards celebrates outstanding 

leaders and organisations 

Page5 

The 5th edition of the EPRA 

Leadership and Entrepreneurial 

Awards founded by Fancy TV 

Channel UK took place in north London 

recently. 

The evening celebrated outstanding 

leaders and organisations, who have 

exhibited exemplary leadership core 

values, norms, characteristics, and 

continuing commitment to leadership 

excellence. Awards were given in areas 

including: Humanitarian Services, 

Community Impact, Entrepreneurial, 

Leadership Excellence, Community 

Contribution, and Personal Development. 

The Founder and Chief Host of the 

EPRA Awards – Tayo Akobi JP, noted 

that: “Indeed, the event has come of age, 

and it has been a great privilege to be the 

chief anchorperson for this special 

occasion.” 

She expressed her “conviction that 

EPRA’s mission to source and fish out 

unsung heroes that deserve honour for 

their contribution to our society has been 

on the right course.” 

She stated that “the uniqueness of 

EPRA awards is to identify leaders with 

distinct intellects; leaders who are ready 

to groom followers; leaders favourably 

disposed to transferring knowledge and 

power to followers as well as leaders with 

selfless intent to equip the younger 

generations for a green economy. 

“Graciously, tonight is an epic 

campaigner to celebrate academic 

achievement, success stories of leaders, 

and entrepreneurial ventures. It is 

important to reiterate that an 

accomplished event like EPRA is an allencompassing 

happening, best regarded 

as a clarion call to serving humanity in 

socio-political, economic, sports, or 

academic endeavours.” 

The Chief Host re-emphasized the 

ethos and practice of the Awards to 

always give back to the community – 

with a commitment that “all proceeds 

from the award will be channelled 

towards the Orael Acquisition Skills 

programmes.” 

Continued on Page 8

Page6 TheTrumpet NOVEMBER 15 - 28 2023

NOVEMBER 15 - 28 2023 TheTrumpet 

Page7


Events 




Continued on Page 9

Events 

NOVEMBER 15 - 28 2023 TheTrumpet Page9 



Continued from Page 8


News 

DRC elections: 

The Kabila family legacy looms 

large over the country’s polls 


Congo War (1996-1997). 

Laurent’s tenure was riddled with 

ineffectiveness and corruption. In 

less than two years, he had dismissed 

his Minister of Defence, the 

Rwandan James Kabarebe, and 

begun arming anti-Rwandan forces. 

These forces contained actors who 

participated in the 1994 genocide 

against the Tutsi in Rwanda. 

Laurent claimed his government 

only backed these forces after 

Rwanda attempted to overthrow his 

regime. 

The bloody Second Congo War 

(1998-2003) led to at least two 

million deaths, many of them from 

disease and extreme poverty rather 

than warfare itself. While Kabarebe’s 

invasion attempt on the capital 

Kinshasa in 1998 failed, the vast 

DRC was divided into spheres of 

influence for different nations and 

their aligned rebel groups. This status 

quo only began to break after 

Laurent’s assassination, which led to 

the rise of his son Joseph. 

Joseph learned military strategy, 

tactics and politics under Kabarebe. 

The two worked together after the 

Second Congo War to flush out 

many anti-Rwandan forces. This 

included the Democratic Forces for 

the Liberation of Rwanda. They also 

campaigned together during the 2011 

Presidential elections, which Joseph 

won. 

Joseph initially cast himself as a 

reformer who would end the Second 

Congo War and pursue policies to 

spur political and economic 

development. However, instability in 

eastern Congo persisted under his 

rule, with accusations of massive 

corruption that undermined the 

nation’s development. 

How much sway does Joseph 

Kabila hold today? 

Joseph Kabila remains a strong 

presence within Congo’s political, 

economic and military institutions. 

He has strong networks developed 

over 18 years in power. He could use 

this influence to sway the vote 

towards any of the candidates. 

His influence stems from 

favourable business and political 

alliances he created when he was 

President. Like Mobutu, Kabila used 

his vast financial resources to secure 

favourable relationships with 

Congolese and foreign business 

leaders. A document leak in 2021 

revealed that Kabila received over 

US$138 million from corruption and 

bribes. 

There were claims that the former 

President originally convinced 

Tshisekedi to accept a power-sharing 

agreement. Under it, Tshisekedi 

would be President, while Kabila 

would control political decisions 

behind the scenes. The near 

appointment of Ronsard Malonda as 

the President of the electoral body 

illustrated Kabila’s political 

influence. Malonda held senior 

positions during the country’s 2006, 

2011 and 2018 elections. He has 

been accused of rigging results in 

favour of Kabila. 

Such accusations have benefited 

Tshisekedi’s election campaign. He 

is depicting himself as a candidate 

not tied to the corruption within 

DRC. 

If Kabila does decide to 

campaign, political dynamics within 

much of Congo’s civil society, 

military and economy will be 

divided. Government ministers and 

officials will be forced to choose to 

support either the incumbent or 

Kabila’s preferred candidate. 

What was Tshisekedi expected 

to change after he routed Joseph 

Kabila? 

There was initial hope that 

Tshisekedi’s government would 

foster peace in eastern Congo, 

establish greater national unity and 

help solve the nation’s economic 

woes after decades of corruption and 

conflict. However, these problems 

have persisted. 

Initially, Amnesty International 

praised Tshisekedi for pardoning 

political prisoners and allowing 

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greater public space for criticisms of 

the Congolese government. He also 

began investigations on past mineral 

deals during the Kabila governments. 

As the African Union Chair from 

2021 to 2022, he pushed for greater 

attention to the COVID-19 pandemic 

and promoted the African 

Continental Free Trade Area. 

Despite initial attempts to foster 

more significant relations with 

Rwanda, relations soured in 2022. 

This was after the Congolese 

government accused Rwanda of 

supporting the resurrected M23 

rebels. 

Rwanda denied the allegations. It 

has also accused Tshisekedi’s 

government of being hostile to the 

Congolese Tutsi population – the 

Banyamulenge – who are historically 

related to Rwandans. 

The US Department of State has 

expressed concern about 

Tshisekedi’s anti-Banyamulenge 

rhetoric, as well as democratic 

transparency in the upcoming 

election. 

Tshisekedi’s campaign strategy 

seems to focus on promoting security 

in eastern DRC by not only defeating 

the M23, but also attacking Rwanda 

for interfering in Congolese affairs. 

The securitisation of the 

Banyamulenge and Rwanda – the 

political manipulation to stir public 

fear – has helped deflect internal 

criticisms of the Tshisekedi regime. 

Whether the elections take place 

is another area of concern. There are 

concerns that Tshisekedi will delay 

or cancel the election by citing 

security concerns. If this happens, it 

might be perceived by domestic and 

international partners as political 

interference by the ruling regime. 

Jonathan Beloff` is a Postdoctoral 

Research Associate at King’s College 

London. 

This article is republished from 

The Conversation under a Creative 

Commons license. Read the original 

article.


Page11


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Page14 TheTrumpet NOVEMBER 15 - 28 2023

Opinion 


Sudan war turning ‘homes into 

cemeteries’ 

- UNHCR 


Page15 


volatile Darfur region, where 

fighting between the Sudanese 

Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid 

Support Forces (RSF) has caused 

even more displacement with 

thousands struggling to find shelter 

and many sleeping under trees by 

the roadside. 

“We are very concerned about 

them not having access to food, 

shelter, clean drinking water or 

other basic essentials,” she said. 

“It is shameful that the atrocities 

committed 20 years ago in Darfur 

can be happening again today with 

such little attention.” 

In July, the prosecutor of the 

International Criminal Court (ICC) 

launched an investigation into 

alleged war crimes and crimes 

against humanity in the region, 

following the discovery of mass 

graves of some 87 members of the 

ethnic Masalit community, 

allegedly killed by the RSF and 

affiliated militia. 

Situation in White Nile State 

Ms. Hyde also addressed the 

situation in the White Nile State, 

where over 433,000 internally 

displaced (IDPs) are estimated to be 

living, adding to nearly 300,000 

mostly South Sudanese refugees 

sheltering in some 10 camps there 

since before the war. 

She said the surge in 

displacement has “overwhelmed” 

essential services in the refugee 

camps, noting also that like in the 

rest of Sudan, schools have been 

shut for the last seven months as 

displaced people find temporary 

shelter inside the classrooms. 

The health situation is also 

particularly alarming, with over 

1,200 children under five having 

died in the province between mid- 

May and mid-September due to a 

measles outbreak combined with 

high levels of malnutrition, and at 

least four children are dying every 

week, as essential medicines, 

personnel, and supplies are lacking. 

“In front of one of the refugee 

camps, you can see mounds of earth 

and they are just little burial grounds 

for the children that have died,” Ms. 

Hyde said. 

Exodus into Chad 

The crisis in Sudan has also 

driven an exodus of refugees into 

neighbouring countries, including 

Chad, where about 450,000 

Sudanese are sheltering since April, 

adding to those already displaced 

there from Sudan and other 

countries. 

Despite being one of the poorest 

countries and confronting grave 

humanitarian challenges, Chad is 

hosting nearly a million refugees. 

Earlier this year, humanitarians 

launched a $921 million 

humanitarian response plan 

targeting 5.2 million most 

vulnerable for assistance. However, 

with barely eight weeks left in the 

year, it is only 26 per cent funded. 

Wage peace, not war: UNFPA 

chief 

Natalia Kanem, Executive 

Director of the UN Population Fund 

(UNFPA), who just returned to New 

York from Chad, briefed reporters 

at UN Headquarters on Tuesday. 

The head of the UN’s 

reproductive rights agency 

highlighted her meetings with 

women leaders and survivors of 

sexual and gender-based violence 

and those supporting them, 

reiterating the importance of 

empowering women and their allies 

in building a just, peaceful and 

prosperous future for Chad. 

“And at this fraught moment in 

human history, it is clear that the 

fate of humanity does not belong in 

the hands of men wielding bombs, 

indeed it rests with women and 

allies standing together waging 

peace,” she said. 

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