DRC: tense situation in Kananga raises concerns
Disturbing rumors are circulating in the town of Kananga, Kasai-Central province, in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Sources report the presence of armed men in a property belonging to opponent Moïse Katumbi. According to Joseph-Guélord Beya, a member of Katumbi’s party and who lives in this property, eight armed men dressed in the uniforms of the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC) had surrounded the house last night and fled to the arrival of the police leaving a can of gasoline.
However, the local police deny this incident and ensure that no suspicious presence has been observed. The provincial government, through Antoine Kalulambi, provincial interior minister, said he was surprised by all the rumors flooding the web. He assures that no official action is underway against Katumbi’s property in Kananga.
These latest events rekindle the fears of the population about an escalation of political violence in a region already weakened by conflict. Residents of Kananga fear that the city will descend into chaos, such as during the violence in 2016 and 2017 where more than 3,000 people were killed and more than 1.4 million displaced