On Saturday May 20, 2023, supporters of the Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS) party organized a march in support of the institutions of the Republic, led by the national vice-president of the Amisi youth league. Makutano. This event was a total success without major incident reported. During the night, the Secretary General of the UDPS Augustin Kabuya published a tweet to welcome this event which testifies, for him, to the first mobilizing political force in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) contrary to what the political opposition.
However, the same day, the opposition, notably made up of Moïse Katumbi, Martin Fayulu, Delly Sesanga and Matata Ponyo also called for a march in Kinshasa. The purpose of this action was to denounce the high cost of living, the insecurity and the hermetic nature of the preparations for the elections next December. The meeting between the opponents was repressed by police forces who did not tolerate a change in the route planned for the march, all under the eye of the urban authorities.
This crackdown on the opposition march sparked a wave of indignation. The famous Nobel Peace Prize winner, Denis Mukwege, denounced dictatorial acts by the government. This criticism tends to reinforce this idea of the fragility of the political situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The opposition, meanwhile, does not intend to stop there and promises a new march.
On the sidelines of these events, the Democratic Republic of Congo announced a collaboration with Africa Congo Internet Exchange to connect local communities to the global network. In terms of natural calamity, a torrential rain that occurred in Luebo caused material damage and injured several people.
This news from the DRC demonstrates once again that it is in a complex political period. The authorities must still work to improve the functioning of institutions to avoid violent demonstrations. Citizens, meanwhile, must continue to demand lasting change to improve living conditions