The arrest of Salomon Kalonda, a member of the political party Ensemble pour la République, provoked strong reactions from citizens’ movements in the Democratic Republic of Congo. In an interview with Actu30 CD on May 31, 2023, a member of Lutte pour le Révolution (LUCHA) condemned the heavy-handed crackdown on opposition protests and activists by law enforcement, saying it undermined democracy in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
LUCHA expressed its support for Salomon Kalonda and demanded the opening of an investigation to identify those who would orchestrate the arrests of Congolese opponents. The pressure group also protested the violent crackdown on dissent, saying oppressors supported the ruling power while opponents were harshly punished.
These events illustrate the political tension in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where opposition groups have been suppressed for years. However, despite these difficulties, there is a glimmer of hope for the future: a national exam for end-of-primary students in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has recently taken place, showing that free education is paying off . In addition, a workshop on electoral justice in the Democratic Republic of Congo was organized to ensure that elections are transparent and reliable.
Despite the difficulties, the Congolese people continue to seek to move forward and prosper. The country experienced its second edition of the Salon des Jeunes Entrepreneurs Congolais, giving the opportunity to develop entrepreneurship and empowerment of young people. However, there is still a long way to go: a study confirms the under-representation of women in the country’s media, which is unacceptable.
Finally, in response to the political crisis, the summit of the Economic Community of Central African States met to condemn violations of the ceasefire in the Democratic Republic of Congo and to order preventive measures. Indeed, the presence of terrorist groups M23 and ADF in the Democratic Republic of Congo poses a real problem. Reducing this threat and enabling free and fair elections are the next steps the country must take to move forward.