Tension has been high in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) since the arrest of Salomon Kalonda Della, senior adviser to Moïse Katumbi, last Tuesday at N’djili International Airport in Kinshasa. The reason for this arrest was not communicated by the authorities, but the brother of Salomon Kalonda Della, Moïse Moni Della, gave a press conference this Saturday to denounce an arrest planned by the Presidency of the Republic.
In an emotional atmosphere, he testified to his concerns for the life of his brother, while ensuring that the latter “is doing well”. For him, Salomon Kalonda Della was arrested because of his support for Moïse Katumbi, a political opponent of Felix Tshisekedi.
This arrest fuels fears of the establishment of a regime of “fear and terror” under the government of Felix Tshisekedi for the family of Mr. Kalonda Della. It also intervenes in a context of growing political tensions in the DRC.
The government faces security challenges in the east of the country, where violence is on the rise. Armed groups continue to sow terror in the conflict areas of North Kivu despite the recent intervention of the ICC prosecutor. In this unstable climate, the rehabilitation of roads in Kinshasa is also proving difficult and leaves pedestrians and motorists in disarray.
Nevertheless, encouraging signs of economic stabilization are appearing as the national currency rose by 0.6% on the official foreign exchange market. UNHCR is also encouraging the voluntary repatriation of Rwandan refugees present on Congolese soil, a step forward in relations between the two countries.
Despite these economic and diplomatic advances, the DRC still has to deal with internal problems, such as the assassination of a member of civil society in Butuhe, in North Kivu. Six jihadists were also killed in clashes with the army in the DRC, proving the persistence of violence. The governor of the province of Lituri issued an ultimatum to the armed groups, after the visit of the ICC prosecutor revealed the complicity of East Africa in the balkanization of the DRC.
In sum, the Congolese socio-political situation remains tense, and the politically motivated arrests only aggravate the tensions already present. Security and economic challenges must be addressed to enable the country to stabilize and initiate sustainable development