Category: Politics

Martin Fayulu, the Congolese political leader who finished second in the 2018 presidential election, withdrew from the electoral process in the DRC because of a corrupt electoral register which could encourage electoral fraud. This announcement was met with disappointment by his supporters, who were planning to restore him to the popularity he had in 2018. Although no new statement has been released from Fayulu, it seems that he plans to reconsider their decision. Fayulu supporters have called for credible, transparent and fair elections to avoid a repeat of the electoral fraud that took place in 2018. With Fayulu stepping down, the question now is whether Martin Fayulu will actually do backtracking on his decision.

The Congolese political opposition met in Kinshasa despite attempts to prevent the power in place. The political leaders present denounced the failure of the current regime, the growing insecurity, the high cost of living, economic instability and youth unemployment. They called for an end to electoral fraud and a profound overhaul of the country, while raising awareness among the population on the electoral issues to come. Only Martin Fayulu was able to take part in the event.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has postponed the voter registration and identification operation in Kwamouth for security reasons. This measure follows requests from the Provincial Assembly of Mai-Ndombe to restore security. This situation illustrates the difficulties encountered by the DRC in terms of security and reinforces the importance of strengthening security measures to allow people to return to their homes so that the nation can better develop.

President Félix Tshisekedi recently visited Kananga and Mbuji-Mayi as part of his development policy for the country’s provinces. It has launched several infrastructure rehabilitation and construction projects as well as an anti-erosion program financed by the World Bank. He also participated in local events and multiplied meetings with political actors and civil society in order to define the priority projects of each province.

A military court in the Democratic Republic of Congo has sentenced twelve people to the death penalty for their alleged role in terrorist attacks in Mai-Ndombe province. The defendants were found guilty of their involvement in violence between the Yaka and Teke communities in Kwilu and Kwango provinces. Seven people were acquitted and one minor was declared outside the jurisdiction of the court. The Congolese government has taken steps to end the deadly violence orchestrated by armed groups in the country and hopes that this judgment will help promote peace and security in the affected regions.

During their ordinary plenary assembly, the Congolese Catholic bishops welcomed the government’s efforts to bring peace to the DRC, but expressed their concerns at the proliferation of armed groups and the persistence of insecurity, particularly in the DRC. east of the country. They also denounced the activism of the Special Brigade of the UDPS, Force du Progrès, and hoped that their recommendations would be taken into account for the reduction of the standard of living of the institutions, the strengthening of national cohesion, and the reconsideration of the state of siege. Finally, the staging of the Teke-Yaka conflict for political and economic interests is vigorously denounced.

The Ugandan government plans to dialogue with the Democratic and Allied Forces (ADF), a terrorist group responsible for several acts of violence in the regions bordering the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda. The dialogue would be facilitated by a commission which will be responsible for seeking out ADF-MTM leaders. If dialogue is possible, the Minister of Communication and Media, Godefroy Kabianga, would prefer that to a military solution. However, if the ADF refuse dialogue, the government will not hesitate to fight them. For nearly 10 years, the ADF have been raging in the DRC, mainly targeting civilian populations. The latest figures show several deaths and kidnappings. The purpose of this dialogue is to foster peace in regions affected by conflict.

The national president of the Alliance for the Advent of a Prosperous and Greater Congo (AACPG), Pius Muabilu, has launched his new political grouping to support the candidacy of Felix Tshisekedi in the presidential elections scheduled for December 2023 in the DRC. The group is made up of several political parties and personalities, including the deputy minister of defense and the deputy rapporteur of the CENI. Pius Muabilu said their support for Tshisekedi is based on his commitment to the fight against insecurity in the east of the country and for free primary education. However, in the complex political context of the DRC, it is important to follow developments closely as the elections approach.

The president of the Kongo Central Provincial Assembly, Jean-Claude Mvuemba, resigned following a petition initiated by provincial deputies accusing him of embezzlement and corruption. This comes against the backdrop of family and political disputes in the region. The electoral CENI must organize a new election for the post left vacant, and initiatives are underway to combat sexual and intercommunal violence in the province. The opposition continues to demand more electoral transparency.

On June 23, on the occasion of International Whistleblowers’ Day, representatives of the General Inspectorate of Finance, the League for the Fight against Corruption and the Public Defense Observatory were present to discuss the need to fight corruption in the DRC. Jules Alingete, Inspector General of Finance, urged all Congolese to denounce “economic crimes” and to consider embezzlement as theft outside the large Kinshasa market. The Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Observatory of Public Expenditure, Professor Florimond Mutemba, for his part pleaded for the establishment of a legal framework protecting whistleblowers.