The city of Beni, in the province of North Kivu, is plagued by terrorist attacks from the Democratic and Allied Forces (ADF). Last weekend, a network of collaborators of this organization was presented by the Congolese army. Four of them had participated in the organization of a bomb attack against the municipal stadium of Beni, while another had participated in the bomb attack which had targeted the market of La Campagne. Among the collaborators presented, there are scientists used for the manufacture of explosive devices, but also postmen or supply personnel. One of them is even a teacher. Most of these collaborators were arrested thanks to information provided by the Ugandan army (UPDF) and the United Nations mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO). Despite these arrests, the situation remains critical on the ground with the resurgence of attacks against civilian populations.
In terms of national politics, electoral reform in the DRC continues to be divisive. Indeed, the bill on the distribution of seats does not receive the full support of the Senate, some senators considering that it does not guarantee a free and transparent election. Moreover, voter registration operations have finally started, but the National Independent Electoral Commission (CENI) still faces challenges in ensuring the participation of women and people living in remote areas of the country.
In other less dramatic news, two Congolese students have won the national final of the OHADA international competition and will represent the DRC at the 2023 edition of “Génies en herbe”. They will thus be able to compete against many other students from the African continent in business law subjects.
Additionally, mining company Barrick Gold Corporation has invested $25 million to save white rhinos in Garamba National Park, where their population has been nearly eradicated due to poaching.
Finally, Congolese political life is rich in twists and turns, with the announcement of Hortense Kavuo Maliro, who is running for the presidency of the Republic for an inclusive management that respects human rights. For his part, Deputy Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Bemba Ngombo traveled to Goma to observe the security situation in North Kivu. Indeed, the attacks of the Codeco (Cooperative for the development of Congo) in this province were responsible for a massacre of 41 displaced