This article reports the announcement of the definitive closure of voter identification and registration operations by the CENI in the Democratic Republic of Congo, despite the difficulties encountered such as the 31 deaths recorded during the operations. The causes of these deaths are varied, but some have been linked to security at voter registration centers. However, the CENI managed to complete this task in just 122 days, and it is important to ensure the safety of Congolese who are actively participating in the elections.
The article talks about the death of Samy Mikobi, alias “the Strategist”, an influential and well-known figure in the Congolese art scene. He was a public man and friend of musicians, who had a great facility to evolve in influential circles and to play his relations. His professional life was marked by great feats of arms, and he was highly appreciated by his many friends and relatives. His early death left a great void in the hearts of those who knew him.
The Democratic Republic of Congo has been hit by deadly floods in South Kivu province, killing nearly 450 people. The Deputy Special Representative of the UN Secretary General has allocated 3 million dollars to strengthen humanitarian operations in the region, in particular for access to drinking water, health and shelter. NGOs, such as Médecins Sans Frontières, have also evacuated seriously injured people for proper medical treatment. Massive deforestation in the DRC has been singled out as a contributing factor to the recurrence of these natural disasters.
The village of Batshongo in the province of Kwango in the DRC was attacked by the Mobondo militia, killing at least five people, including a colonel and two soldiers. The attackers beheaded several people and a policeman and two civilians were also killed. Local authorities claimed that the group responsible had dug in for another attack. There is an urgent need to find lasting solutions to protect local populations and restore peace in the region. It is the second village in Kwango affected by violence in a few months.
Jeanpy Kabongo is a Congolese visual artist who combines the arts of photography and Kuba textiles to create one-of-a-kind works. Inviting a return to basics to bring order to the present and promote African culture, his creations raise awareness of the need to reclaim this culture and create rather than just consume. Jeanpy Kabongo uses the technique of light and dark stage and Kuba carpets to highlight the wisdom and invention of the past.
Massive deforestation in the mountains of Bushushu and Nyamukubi, resulting from agricultural operations and the search for firewood, caused a natural disaster that killed more than 430 people and left thousands of Congolese homeless. The government’s urgent recommendations include the relocation of local populations, the reconstruction of the Bukavu-Goma national road, the construction of resilient housing and the updating of the strategy for the fight against natural disasters, as well as the launching of a program of reforestation. Nature conservation and sustainable economic development policies are crucial to avoid such disasters in the future.
The national deputy Jean-Jacques Mpanga wa Lukalaba challenges the Minister of Agriculture on the corn shortage which currently prevails in the Katanga and Kasaï areas in the DRC. He asks what measures are taken upstream to avoid this situation and what is the implementation of the policy “to each a roof, a field in his village for each crop”. The low national maize production is the main cause of the shortage of maize flour in the Katanga and Kasaï areas. The DRC has signed supply agreements with Zambia and South Africa, but these agreements can be precarious according to the MP. It is therefore ringing the alarm bell so that food security is put back at the heart of the country’s concerns.
In this article, national deputy Jean-Jacques Mpanga wa Lukalaba spoke about the maize shortage affecting the Katanga and Kasai regions. He challenged the Minister of Agriculture asking what measures have been taken to avoid this situation and recalled the importance of agriculture in the development of the country. The deputy asked for concrete solutions to get out of this situation of shortage and underlined that the Democratic Republic of Congo has enormous agricultural potential.
The Inspector General and Head of Service at the General Inspectorate of Finance in the DRC, Jules Alingete Key, was recently honored by Golden Ball, a Brazilian organization. This distinction recognizes the IGF’s commitment to the fight against corruption in the DRC. The Brazilian delegation which presented this distinction underlined the importance of the fight against corruption in the economic development of the DRC. The first anti-corruption body in the DRC, the IGF is responsible for raising public funds and plays a crucial role in the fight against anti-corruption in public management.
During the celebration of International Nurses Day in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the President of the National Order of Nurses of Congo launched an appeal for the promotion of the nursing profession. He deplored the difficult working conditions in which health professionals work, due to the insufficient construction of hospitals by the Congolese State and the lack of equipment. The theme for this year’s celebration was “Our Nurses. Our Future.”