A man was murdered at his home on the night of Thursday to Friday, in Butuhe, an agglomeration located in the territory of Beni, in the North Kivu region in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Kakule Mbalikiriri Moïse Léonard, honorary president of the civil society of Butuhe, was shot dead by gun-toting men who wore balaclavas. The victim was shot in the leg and another in the chest. Although the motives for the murder are not clear, sources on the spot mention a land dispute.
Butuhe’s civil society president called for the opening of an investigation so that the perpetrators are identified and brought to justice. The Beni region is regularly the scene of armed attacks perpetrated by rebel groups and local militias. This worrying situation of insecurity was recently denounced by the Congolese opposition, which accuses the government of not ensuring the security of the country.
Indeed, the DRC must work to stabilize its troubled regions to guarantee the security of its population. The citizens’ movements also denounce the forcing of the government in the current electoral process and call for the suspension of the bill on the distribution of seats.
However, there is also positive news on Congolese territory. More than 52,000 students recently passed ENAFEP 2023 in the Kasai region under the supervision of political and administrative authorities. Western embassies also welcome CENI’s efforts to organize elections in the country, despite lingering concerns. The young Congolese entrepreneurs fair is a unique opportunity for the development of entrepreneurship in the DRC, while the Congolese franc is stabilizing on the official foreign exchange market, although the informal market remains affected.
In sum, the DRC continues to face major challenges in ensuring the country’s security and economic development, but positive initiatives are also underway to improve the situation.