Category: Politics

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.

National MP Willy Bolio said the government was taking no action to address the inter-communal violence perpetrated against the Teke, which he described as ethnic cleansing. He accused the government of diverting attention from the real situation. The Teke were allegedly victims of genocide. Only a year after the horrors began in Kwamouth Territory, he added, the executive has remained deaf to calls to restore peace.

French President Emmanuel Macron inaugurated the 2021 edition of the Summit for a new global financial pact by stressing the importance of private investments to help developing countries, middle-income countries and large emerging countries. The summit aims to find solutions on several issues such as debt relief and climate finance. It is a global initiative to foster a transformation of global financial policies in favor of a green and sustainable economy to achieve the objectives of the Paris Agreement. Several world leaders took part in it for a more united economy.

The UDPS of Kasai Oriental province is planning a peaceful demonstration to demand the resignation of Governor Mathias Kabeya Matshi, accused of mismanagement. Congolese citizens continue to mobilize to bring their demands, faced with the lack of basic infrastructure and public services. This situation is repeated in several parts of the DRC, and reflects the urgency for the Congolese authorities to meet the expectations of their population.

The political and security situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is alarming. Citizen movements and civil society demand credible, inclusive and transparent elections in the country and demand the audit of the electoral register, the end of insecurity and timely accreditation of electoral observers. Previous demands have been ignored and the ongoing electoral process is a series of failures that could lead to political and security disaster. Civil society calls on the Congolese people to mobilize to defeat any violation of the Constitution.