Tense situation in Bunia: The Provincial Assembly of Ituri and the Congolese National Police are fighting over a concession
A rather surprising scene took place this Wednesday, October 18, 2023 in Bunia, where members of the Ituri Provincial Assembly entered into direct confrontation with elements of the Congolese National Police (PNC). At the heart of this clash is a dispute concerning the ownership of a concession where the office of the Provincial Assembly is located.
Early in the morning, a team of builders rushed to the site and began digging holes in an attempt to divide this plot so that the police could construct their own buildings. A situation deemed unacceptable by the members of the Provincial Assembly, who claim ownership of the concession.
Tension quickly rises, attracting the attention of onlookers and provoking heated exchanges between the two parties. Elements of the police responsible for the security of members of the Provincial Assembly are content to observe the situation without intervening.
The police claim to be acting on orders from their superiors and do not recognize that the concession belongs to the Provincial Assembly. For their part, the members of the Provincial Assembly moved their vehicles in order to prevent any fence connecting the plot. Finally, the plot is divided in two, with one part fenced.
The president of the Provincial Assembly, Banga Tchombe, denounces this attempted plunder and affirms that sooner or later, the concession will be recovered by the Provincial Assembly. He recalls that this plot, which was already insufficient, is vital for the proper functioning of the institution.
The situation is also becoming political, with members of the provincial government supporting the Provincial Assembly’s demand. For Chrisante Ucircan Bule, former minister of infrastructure, public works and reconstruction, the plot clearly belongs to the Provincial Assembly and he questions the fact of dividing this land without thinking about essential needs such as the institution’s parking lot.
However, the police’s version of events as well as the exact involvement of local authorities in this dispute remain unclear. The reactions of the military governor and the relevant services have not yet been communicated.
The clash over this part of the state highlights the divisions between two institutions of the Congolese state. The question of who gave the order to the police remains unanswered, but one thing is certain: the situation is far from resolved and the concession continues to divide the parties involved.
Source: Bunia News CD
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