Title: Arrest of Salomon Kalonda: tension rises in the DRC as elections approach
Salomon Kalonda, senior adviser to Moïse Katumbi, was arrested last Tuesday at N’djili International Airport as he was about to board his plane for Lubumbashi. Five days after this arrest, tension is high in the DRC while the authorities have still not communicated the reasons for this arrest.
Moïse Moni Della, the older brother of Salomon Kalonda, gave a press conference on Saturday in Kinshasa. In tears, he expressed his fear for his brother’s life, although he reassured the public that he “is doing well”. He also declared that the arrest of Salomon Kalonda had been planned by the Presidency of the Republic and denounced a regime of fear and terror established by Félix Tshisekedi, the President of the Republic.
For many political observers and analysts, the arrest of Salomon Kalonda is motivated by his support for Moïse Katumbi, who has a vision for a qualitative change in Congo. This interpretation is all the more plausible as the presidential and legislative elections are fast approaching in the DRC.
In this tense electoral context, Congolese opposition leaders are increasingly worried about the credibility and therefore the transparency of the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI). Martin Fayulu, Adolphe Muzito, Olivier Kamitatu, Matata Ponyo and Martin Tshisekedi have recently called for the establishment of an impartial CENI.
This alarming political situation in the DRC, added to poverty, corruption, police repression and insecurities, raises growing concerns about the future and stability of the country, which has been plagued by a multifaceted crisis for decades. .
The people of the DRC need concrete answers and effective measures to break this impasse. Let’s hope that the situation normalizes quickly and that the upcoming elections are transparent and peaceful for the well-being of all Congolese.