The Governor of North Kivu Carly Nzanzu Kasivita recently discussed the situation of the Société Minière de Bisunzu (SMB), located in the territory of Masisi, in an interview with the news site ACTUALITE.CD. According to him, the security services had carried out searches at the SMB because of the presence of a large number of police officers. Police officials later assured that these were regular police officers. The governor also responded to the charges brought against him and his interior minister in connection with the trial against national deputy Édouard Mwangachuchu, who is suspected of links with the M23 rebels.
The governor of North Kivu, Carly Nzanzu Kasivita, wanted to clarify the number of police officers present at the Société Minière de Bisunzu (SMB) in the territory of Masisi. During the searches of the SMB offices in Goma, there was a significant presence of police, which had prompted the members of COOPERAMA to complain of a plethora. However, police officials assure that the officers present were regular police officers. The governor therefore wished to clarify the situation to avoid any confusion.
The governor’s remarks were given in response to the accusations made against him and his interior minister by the provincial police commissioner in North Kivu, Francois-xavier Aba Van, in the context of the trial against Édouard Mwangachuchu. The latter is suspected of links with the M23 rebels and is being prosecuted for treason, participation in an insurrectionary movement and illegal possession of weapons of war. The proceedings were initiated after the discovery of weapons of war in the residence of Edouard Mwangachuchu in Kinshasa and in the premises of SMB in Masisi North Kivu. In this case, the deputy divisional commissioner Aba Van said that the governor and his interior minister had asked for the renewal of the security contract between the DRC and the SMB, while he had refused to avoid a civil war between Tusti and Hutu.
In short, the statements of Governor Carly Nzanzu Kasivita helped to clarify the situation regarding the number of police officers present at the SMB in Masisi. The charges brought against the governor and his interior minister by Commissioner Aba Van were brought forward in the context of the trial against Édouard Mwangachuchu. The proceedings are linked to the discovery of weapons of war in the premises of the SMB and in the residence of Edouard Mwangachuchu in Kinshasa. This case is emblematic of the security problems that persist in the North Kivu region