Last Sunday, Moïse Katumbi, candidate for the presidency of the Democratic Republic of Congo, held a meeting in Bukavu, as part of his electoral campaign. In front of a large crowd, he once again denounced the insecurity plaguing the eastern provinces of the country and proposed concrete measures to remedy it.
During his speech, Moïse Katumbi promised to set up a special reconstruction fund, worth $5 billion, for the provinces of South Kivu, North Kivu and Ituri. According to him, this sum will be used to finance the necessary infrastructure and revive the economy of these regions which have been hard hit by armed conflicts and insecurity.
The candidate also affirmed his desire to eradicate the M23 rebel group, responsible for numerous acts of violence in the east of the country. To do this, he intends to renew the Congolese military aviation by replacing Sukhoi combat planes with American F20s, more efficient and adapted to the fight against armed groups.
Furthermore, Moïse Katumbi announced his intention to create a special court responsible for judging the perpetrators of crimes committed in the east of the country for decades. This measure aims to guarantee zero impunity and provide justice to the victims of the violence that has raged in the region.
The candidate, supported by several opposition political figures, including Jean-Claude Vuemba, Franck Diongo, Seth Kikuni and Matata Ponyo, continues to gather broad support in the presidential race. His camp also maintains contacts with other members of the opposition with a view to a possible joint candidacy to face outgoing President Félix Tshisekedi.
This electoral campaign is crucial for the future of the DRC, which seeks to consolidate its democracy and establish a climate of peace and security throughout the country. Moïse Katumbi’s promises in terms of reconstruction and the fight against insecurity offer voters hope of change and prosperity for the east of the country, which has long been neglected and marginalized.
We must hope that the commitments made by Moïse Katumbi will translate into concrete actions once elected to the presidency, in order to finally allow real development and lasting stability in this very difficult region of the DRC.