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DRC: Tshisekedi under pressure
Anti–Congolese government protesters, on May 20, marched the
streets of Kinshasa complaining about the irregularities in voter registration
saying the process is being conducted to their disadvantage. With six months
left to the December presidential election, DRC’s Independent National
Electoral Commission (CENI) announced on May 22 that it registered around 43.9
million voters in a country with an estimated 49 million eligible voters.
The protesters were also angry over the rising cost of
living and the growing insecurity in eastern DRC where more than 130 armed
groups have been carrying out attacks, killing hundreds and displacing over a
million.
Congolese security forces fired tear gas and detained
protesters just after the start of the intended peaceful demonstration. The
protest was mobilized by four opposition leaders including Martin Fayulu, who
declared himself Congolese president-elect in the 2018 presidential election,
and Moise Katumbi, a businessperson and former regional governor who is
expected to run in 2023.
"It's sad, you see, they are firing tear gas. Just before, it
was real ammunition. All that is Mr. Tshisekedi," said Katumbi whose car
was shot at by police officers and hit his bodyguard.
Fayulu said that his vehicle was surrounded by security forces who
continued to fire tear gas to disperse demonstrators.
"The electoral register is not reliable and we'll not
compromise on this issue," Fayulu added.
In April, Fayulu complained that Tshisekedi appointed judges
unconstitutionally; handpicked partisan members of the supposedly independent
electoral commission; imposed or otherwise failed to reform unfair electoral
laws that are favorable only to him; and declared a state of siege – which
amounts to martial law – in North Kivu and Ituri provinces, regions known to be
opposition strongholds.
The United Nations, the European Union and the USA condemned the
violent repression of an opposition demonstration and the disproportionate use of
force against protesters. They requested the Congolese government to respect
civil liberties and make a rapid commitment to identifying and detaining
security agents responsible for violating human rights.
However, Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi praised the police’s
"professionalism" and congratulated their chief, Faustin Numbi who
led the operations.
“You are a very good citizen, you really deserve to rise in rank…
You are a true professional. Bravo for the work you have done, zero deaths, the
thugs have been brought under control, that's very good. This is why we support
our police, the academy will soon be professional, we will put all the
conditions there to improve your condition and your training,” Tshisekedi told
the police chief on May 22 when visiting police officers injured by
demonstrators.
Making this comment as a President who is in charge of the proper
functioning of institutions and respect for human rights, not only shows Tshisekedi’s
cold-hearted character but also reveals that he can do whatever he wants to
disrupt any activity leading to proper elections in December.
According to analysts, Tshisekedi who was fraudulently elected in
2018 is now sitting on a fragile majority and is very worried.
Tshisekedi is throwing his country into turmoil. He first created
chaos in eastern DRC to make the conflict there prolonged until the election
date so that it can be postponed.
By solely blaming the M23 rebels for the insecurity, he made it
difficult for both the group and the EAC regional force to restore peace.
Tshisekedi refused to negotiate with M23 by giving them a
condition of withdrawing from captured territories first. But after they
withdrew he changed the narrative and said that he won’t negotiate with them
whatever the case. He called them terrorists and only wants them cantoned.
Now after the first tactic of using the M23 problem as a scapegoat
to postpone the election is not serving his purpose, he chose violence against
his own people. He does not want the
opposition to challenge him, reveal his weakness, and prevent him from
extending his time in office.
Despite all his efforts the opposition remains firm. Fayulu called
on Congolese to participate in a sit-in on May 25 in front of the CENI
headquarters.
“We must stop the cheating project that Mr. Kadima (CENI’s
president) wants to orchestrate in favor of Mr. Félix Tshisekedi,” Fayulu said
in a tweet.
