Recent events in the Democratic Republic of the Congo have been marked by a public hearing held at the Ndolo military prison. This hearing concerned the national deputy Mwangachuchu, accused of illegal possession of a firearm. During this hearing, Antoine Ntshikala, head of the firearms regime division at the Ministry of the Interior and Security, intervened to provide clarification on this case.
According to Mr. Ntshikala, his services are not authorized to supply firearms, but to issue authorizations to carry weapons. He explained that Mwangachuchu had presented himself with his own pistol during his authorization request and that his role was to check the elements of the weapon to mention them on the document of the license to carry a weapon. Thus, he asserted that he did not hand over a weapon to Mwangachuchu, but only prepared the necessary documents.
However, the question that arises is to know where this weapon came from that Mwangachuchu presented during his authorization request. According to Mr. Ntshikala, obtaining a weapon in the DRC is an underground market, “blacker than coal”. He pointed out that his service does not refer applicants to sources of arms supply and that it is impossible to sell them like peanuts. He also mentioned that if a person shows up with a weapon marked with PNC or FARDC, they ask him to keep it.
This case highlights security and arms control issues in the DRC. The illegal possession of weapons of war is a worrying problem, all the more so when it is linked to accusations of treason and participation in an insurrectionary movement, as is the case for Mwangachuchu. Ongoing investigations aim to determine the possible links between the national deputy and the M23 rebels.
It is essential that the authorities strengthen controls and regulations on the possession of firearms to prevent criminal acts and armed violence. Cooperation between the various responsible bodies, such as the Ministry of Interior and Security, the police and the military intelligence services, is essential to guarantee the security of citizens and the stability of the country.
In conclusion, the illegal possession of a weapon case involving national deputy Mwangachuchu highlights the challenges related to arms control in the DRC. The authorities must redouble their efforts to combat the clandestine arms market and strengthen control measures. This will help ensure the safety of the population and prevent armed violence in the country