The rumour on Brazzaville's quiet and tree-lined streets is that the fighting in Pool has somehow been orchestrated by bigger men than Mr Ntoumi, who want a place at the trough, and don't mind sparking mayhem to remind the president that they can do worse if denied their cut.
On Wednesday, thousands of workers walked the palm tree-lined streets in colored uniforms bearing identification badges, while others ate in canteens boasting different regional cuisines.
Later in the week, I was also part of the tens of thousands of people on the streets near Rockefeller centre for a cold but nice evening to watch the new Christmas tree.