The world of political opposition in the Democratic Republic of Congo is currently agitated by the arrest of Salomon Idi Kalonda Della, the right arm of Moïse Katumbi, a figure of the Congolese opposition. Moïse Moni Della, president of the Conade, opposition political party and traveling companion of Etienne Tshisekedi, returns in an interview to the circumstances which surrounded the arrest of his brother.
According to Moïse Moni Della, the arrest of his brother is part of a broader context of relentlessness and harassment targeting political opponents in the country. He thus evokes the many inconveniences suffered by Salomon Idi Kalonda Della, such as arrests at the border, the confiscation of his passport or the blocking of his accounts.
For Moïse Moni Della, this situation is explained by the fact that Salomon Idi Kalonda Della was the right arm of Moïse Katumbi. The latter, having a real project for the Congo, represents a threat to Felix Tshisekedi and the ruling coalition. The arrest of Salomon Idi Kalonda Della would therefore be an attempt to destabilize Moïse Katumbi and the Congolese opposition a few months before the presidential election.
Moïse Moni Della also denies the accusations of collusion and intelligence with Rwanda lent to his brother. For him, these accusations are grotesque and are only intended to harm Salomon Kalonda Idi and the Congolese opposition.
In addition, the degrading inhuman treatment suffered by Salomon Kalonda Idi in detention, as well as the attempt to fabricate evidence by the intelligence services to confuse him, worry Moïse Moni Della. For him, this situation recalls the methods used under Mobutu and Kabila and bears witness to the dictatorial regime of Felix Tshisekedi in the DRC.
Finally, Moïse Moni Della is also offended by the ban on lawyers attending searches targeting Salomon Kalonda Idi or his family, as well as the attack on his elderly mother, Aziza. For him, the latter represents a red line that should not be crossed.
In short, the arrest of Salomon Idi Kalonda Della is one more example of the relentlessness of which political opponents in the Democratic Republic of Congo are victims. This situation, denounced by Moïse Moni Della and other civil society actors, highlights the challenges to be met in order to establish true democracy in the country.