Activists from the citizen movement “Lutte pour leChange” (LUCHA) once again braved the streets of Tshikapa, in the province of Kasaï, on Thursday, July 13, to demand a reduction in the REGIDESO bill. Unfortunately, their peaceful demonstration was repressed by the police, leading to the arrest and brutality of several activists.
Joël Minga, one of the influential members of LUCHA, said in an interview that their objective is to combat the scarcity and high cost of water in the communes of Mbumba and Mabondo. But their march was violently repressed by the Congolese National Police (PNC), and ten of their comrades were unjustly arrested and brutalized.
Faced with this repression, LUCHA demands the immediate release of its activists and strongly condemns the attacks on public freedoms orchestrated by the mayor of the city, who is unable to stabilize the security situation in Tshikapa.
It should be noted that for some time, the population of Tshikapa has been complaining about the excessive increase in the cost of the REGIDESO bill, which puts some households in a difficult financial situation.
This new repression shows once again the need to defend the rights of citizens and to fight against the economic injustices that affect several regions of the country. LUCHA, as a committed citizen movement, will continue to mobilize and exert peaceful pressure to obtain a reform of REGIDESO’s tariff policy.
Freedom of expression and the right to demonstrate are fundamental rights that must be respected, and any violent repression against them is unacceptable. The situation in Tshikapa requires special attention from the authorities to ensure the safety of the demonstrators and find solutions to the problems raised by the population.
Pending the release of the arrested activists, LUCHA will tirelessly pursue its fight for change and for equitable access to essential services such as water. It is essential that all citizens can live in dignified conditions and benefit from affordable public services.
The crackdown on peaceful protests only strengthens the resolve of LUCHA activists, and their voices will not be silenced. The fight for change is an everyday fight, and every action counts to make the voice of the Congolese people heard