The former Vice President of the Democratic Republic of Congo Azarias Ruberwa has advised the current head of state to take full responsibility for settling differences with the AFC/M23 rebels.

Ruberwa made the remarks Thursday during a conversation with reknowed journalist Stanis Bujakera Tshiamala on Space live.

The former Vice President was analysing the security crisis in eastern DRC, where Goma, Bukavu and several other localities remain under the occupation of the AFC/M23 rebels. 

According to Ruberwa there are only two ways to achieve peace: impose it by war, as Laurent-Désiré Kabila did during his victorious march on Kinshasa after seven months of conflict.

The other option is to obtain peace through negotiation, an option he says he prefers, refusing to wish for a peace by arms that would prolong the suffering of the Congolese people.

However, Ruberwa was highly critical of the current format of the Doha talks between the government and the AFC/M23, which he considers to be dragging on endlessly without a clear agenda.

He argued that a serious negotiation process should set a specific timeframe, such as six months, for reaching a peace or ceasefire agreement, and lamented that neither side seemed to be in any hurry to move forward.

He criticized for example the lack of good faith on both sides. He mentioned the prisoner exchanges, where only about fifteen people were released out of the 700 demanded by the AFC/M23.

Ruberwa also emphasized the eminently political dimension of the Congolese crisis, which, according to him, transcends purely military issues and justifies the holding of a national dialogue.

He directly addressed President Félix Tshisekedi, reminding him that, as the only internationally recognized head of state, including in the territories occupied by the rebels, he bears a greater responsibility than anyone else in the search for peace.