Salomon Idi Kalonda, private adviser to opponent Moïse Katumbi and son of Maniema province was arrested on May 30 at N’djili International Airport in Kinshasa. Since then, he has been detained in the dungeon of the Military Intelligence staff for carrying a firearm found on him.
Senator Augustin Matata Ponyo of the LGD political party demands the immediate release of Salomon Idi Kalonda and denounces an unfounded arrest. He adds that “the sons and daughters of Maniema cannot accept that they are the target of the power in place”. The president of the political party made this statement to the press when he arrived in Kindu.
Maniema is indeed a region often targeted by the authorities. The local population is aware of this. The province’s sons and daughters are regularly targeted, as are opposition members such as Salomon Idi Kalonda.
In this case, it is difficult to distinguish the true from the false. Salomon Idi Kalonda was arrested for carrying a firearm, but other grievances weigh on him, according to judicial sources. This arrest comes at a time when the Congolese government is being singled out for its management of security in the country and when citizens’ movements and the opposition denounce an electoral process marred by fraud.
In these troubled times, it is necessary to work to stabilize areas plagued by violence in the DRC, such as Maniema and Beni, the scene of recent terrorist attacks. The government must take into account the demands of the population and ensure security for all citizens, regardless of their region of origin