Click here to view a PDF version of the letter.
Dear Secretary Kerry,
It is an honorable privilege to write this letter and an undeniable, exciting feeling to say the least. First off, please allow me to properly introduce myself. My name is Andy Mulumba. Born and raised in the Democratic Republic of Congo, I spent some time in Montreal, Quebec at the age of 12, and received my collegiate education at the University of Eastern Michigan, graduating in Business Management in April 2013. This is such a great highlight in my life and I cannot thank you enough for taking the time to read this letter.
Currently, I am a free agent in the National Football League, having spent the past three years with the Green Bay Packers and was originally picked up by Kansas City earlier this year before getting released in the final cuts. It is part of the business and I am hoping for a team to take a chance on me in the next days, weeks or months to come. Hope is at the basis of my belief and I truly am confident that things will turn around.
I have been a supporter of the Enough Project since my rookie year in 2013 (courtesy of Aaron Rodgers, who has also supported the organization), and working with Enough has been a blessing to not only myself, but also to the people seeking justice in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
My true intention today is to be a voice, as many others have been doing, to denounce the crisis that has been tormenting many people in Congo. The present regime run by President Kabila has been on the presidential seat for far too long. The circumstances surrounding his political leadership have become a liability to many candidates willing to run for presidency, many people are wishing to speak their mind and there are way too many families suffering from the injustice and unstoppable corruption.
I have never had a voice for this concern and probably don’t have enough credibility to be involved in a political war, but would love to take this opportunity of using my platform as a player in one of the most prestigious leagues (NFL), to call upon your help for addressing the upcoming election in Congo and the corruption surrounding it.
We (the Congolese people) are proud, we love our country, we love being recognized internationally as one of the richest countries in natural resources in the world. However, we may never be able to reach our full potential or accomplish great milestones because of the current political situation and corruption that is consistently increasing as the years of President Kabila’s reign are still counting.
My position in this case is unequivocally similar as the one proposed by Enough Project and the coalition fighting in this case with all of their resources and effort. We need a strong international presence and effective solutions to contain the mayhem that may follow this ousting of President Kabila in the next upcoming election. Truly, I am not officially representing the entire population of my country, but I will not be ashamed or fearful of stating my position if it can help move towards a peaceful country and organized elections, with the support of the international world – most importantly the freedom of speech. My only desire is to promote change as much as possible.
The Enough Project and its Raise Hope for Congo campaign has been tremendously active in demanding that Congo has elections this year in order to give a fair chance to the population of Congo. Although, it seems impossible for the population to clearly state their position on who should be in the presidential seat, fearing repercussion, threats, and consequences that may affect their lives. Mr. Kerry, I please urge you to understand how important this situation is for many of us. This could mean a liberation of our people by the oppressive government. This could also mean a new beginning with the proper support of the international community.
It is with great respect that I am writing this letter today, asking for your help. You are in a position to have multiple aspects of this election put in motion, such as targeted sanctions on Kabila’s inner circle, and pressure the Congolese government to abide to the international pressure. Honestly, Mr. Secretary Kerry, I deeply hope that you can find time to delegate the right people in helping out with this situation that has been lingering for years and creating chaos for millions of people wishing for a fair life.
Sincerely,
Andy Mulumba
Click here to view a PDF version of the letter.