On May 30, 2023, the city of Kinshasa was in relative calm after several days of political tension. These tensions have the effect of weakening the image of President Félix Tshisekedi and his political vision. The events that followed these tensions took everyone by surprise, including Moïse Katumbi and Salomon Idi Kalonda Della, who had broken camp in Kinshasa after opposition marches violently repressed by the police.
However, the arrest of Salomon Idi Kalonda Della completely took opposition politicians and activists by surprise. The man, right arm of Moïse Katumbi, was arrested by armed men when he was about to board a plane at N’djili international airport. The scene was filmed by a member of Katumbi’s suite and the video quickly spread on social media. This arrest aroused the indignation of opinion leaders, opponents, politicians and activists, who denounced the arbitrariness of the situation.
Salomon Idi Kalonda Della is a very influential figure in the Congolese political world. In particular, he created the National Party for Democracy and Development, which became the second political force of the opposition during the last legislative elections of 2018, with 12 elected to the National Assembly and 12 elected to the provincial assemblies. He is also the special political adviser to Moïse Katumbi and whispers in the ear of the leader, participating in all the political or diplomatic negotiations in which Katumbi is involved.
This arrest was interpreted as one more step in the fierce political struggle between opponents and supporters of the power in place. The DRC is indeed in the grip of political struggles which have created an unstable situation in the country. Citizen movements are more and more numerous to denounce the forcing and to call for the suspension of the bill on the distribution of seats.
Security in the country is also a matter of concern, with numerous terrorist attacks on the ground. The government is accused of failing to provide security in the country, and troubled provinces (such as Beni) are plagued by armed violence.
However, the country’s institutions are also hard at work trying to move the situation forward. Despite lingering concerns, the CENI’s efforts have been welcomed by Western embassies. The Governor of Ituri is also sending a strong message to armed groups, calling on them to end the violence and affirming that national and international justice awaits them.
Finally, on the economic level, the Congolese franc has experienced a certain stability on the official foreign exchange market, despite the turbulence on the informal market..
At the heart of all these issues, the country must work to stabilize its troubled regions in order to be able to move forward towards the economic and political development of the country.