The alleged ringleader of an apparent coup attempt in the Democratic Republic of Congo has fled the capital Kinshasa and is being chased south by security forces, President Joseph Kabila's spokesman said today.
The spokesman said the ringleader, identified as Major Eric Lenge, fled Kinshasa this afternoon. It is believed that he is heading towards the province of Bas Congo.
"He has 21 well-armed men with him. The army, supported by a helicopter, is chasing him," spokesman for President Kabila said.
Earlier today, President Joseph Kabila appeared on state television and said his government was "in place" after an apparent coup attempt by members of the presidential guard failed.
"The institutions of the republic are in place. The president himself, he is in place," Mr Kabila said.
Members of the elite unit that guards President Kabila earlier seized state radio in the capital Kinshasha in an apparent coup bid, but the government said loyal troops had regained control of the station soon afterwards.
The presidential guards' Major Eric Lenge said on the radio the country's transitional process was not working and that he was suspending it and taking control himself, UN and government officials said. It was unclear how many guards were involved.
President Kabila continued to say that the security forces are looking for the major. He also said that around a dozen mutineers have already been arrested.
"The population must remain calm and vigilant and ready itself, why not, to resist because I won't allow anyone to try either to stage a coup d'etat or to derail the peace process," said President Kabila.
The incident comes days after government troops recaptured the eastern town of Bukavu from dissident soldiers following a week-long occupation launched in protest at what the dissidents said was the persecution of their ethnic group.
The revolt in Bukavu exposed the weakness of Kabila's transitional government installed a year ago, which is still struggling to restore central authority across Africa's third-largest country after five years of war.
The clashes in the mineral-rich east also raised fears of a wider regional conflict involving Congo and its tiny neighbour Rwanda, which invaded the former Zaire in 1996 and 1998.