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In this new era of the DRC, people are motivated less by ideology but more by a web of loyalties, alliances, and incentives.
The Diplomat has convinced a narrow but successful smatter of economic and political leaders. Some are part of the government loosely, some used to have more power in your home province, and some are part of the political opposition. The bulk of them are from Kasai, which used to be one of only five or so regions, back during the Cold War.
That area is a stronghold for the <span class="mu-s">Union for Democracy and Social Progress</span>, which is one of the oldest and strongest opposition parties.
The Diplomat winds up with a small security serial from the old Zaire days. The old Mobuto army shattered and its veterans are all on sides now. Those who quit or deserted last, were those loyal to the old regime or were given complete control of economic resources.
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You land in your home region and get some degree of attention and respect. You're well educated, you speak well, and you have connections to local church leaders. What you are attempting is ambitious and perhaps you're not so lucky, but you manage to recover from some mistakes and some misspoke words. Some days or weeks were wasted trying to get the funding, get the guards, and get home.
As you are wrapping up, having taken weeks longer to do this then you wanted, you start to hear rumors from people still in RCD or who have left, like you did. The RCD is having a leadership dispute and the faction close to the area (you are behind the front lines, after all) sees you as being part of the other RCD faction or a competing militia.
You end up having to leave after a meeting with some officer of the RCD. You almost spoke to a commander but you heard he wanted to disarm your security detail and put you under his own “protection”.
At best, this is just an extension to how any legitimate state or any that wish to be so, have to have a monopoly on force.
