State of siege in the DRC: the names of the military governors unveiled

DRC (May 4, 2021): During a press conference, government, police and military spokespersons explained the measures related to the state of siege.

© Sonia Rolley / RFI

Text by: RFI Follow

5 mins

In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the names of the military governors of North Kivu and Ituri are finally known.

They should take office on Thursday, the date of the start of the state of siege decreed by President Felix Tshisekedi.

During a press conference, government, army and police spokespersons explained and reassured the conditions of this state of siege which sometimes worries the population.

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with our special

correspondent,

Sonia Rolley

and our correspondent,

Kamanda wa Kamanda Muzembe

The head of state decided to trust two former rebels to lead for a month these two provinces scarred by massacres, while during a press conference, spokespersons for the government, the army and police explained and reassured about the conditions of

this state of siege decreed a few days ago

.

The military governor of North Kivu is General Luboya Nkashama, the former boss of the first defense zone, which includes Kinshasa among others, he was also the commander of the 13th military region of Ecuador. This officer from the Kasai area is a former RCD Goma rebellion, close to Rwanda, which for a time administered this province, which is already pointed out by some civil society organizations. General Luboya Nkashama is, as expected, assisted by a police officer. Divisional Commissioner Alonga Boni Benjamin.

In Ituri, a former rebel is also appointed, but he comes from the MLC rebellion of the former vice-president and ally of Felix Tshisekedi, Jean-Pierre Bemba, considered close to Uganda.

General Constant Ndima Kongba was commander of the 3rd defense zone which covers the two Kivus, Maniema and Tshopo.

He was until then the Deputy Chief of the General Staff in charge of administration and logistics.

Its vice-governor is the divisional commissioner Ekuka Lipopo, he notably ensured the coordination of the technical group for the security of the elections.

Police and army officers will take control of all administrative levels in these provinces from Thursday, so further appointments are expected.

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To read also

: in the DRC, President Tshisekedi lays the contours of the state of siege in Ituri and North Kivu

A press conference to reassure and explain 

Spokesmen for the government, the armed forces and the police sought to reassure by answering questions from the press, for more than an hour, at the headquarters of the national radio and television.

The new Minister of Communication, Patrick Muyaya, began by reassuring about respect for laws and fundamental rights, the right to life, to freedom of thought.

Police spokesman Colonel Mwanamputu insisted on the transitory nature of these measures and the assessment made at the end of the first 30 days by Parliament, which must decide whether or not to renew. .

To the question of knowing, in view of the weakness of staff and resources and the scale of the tasks to be accomplished, to what extent these authorities from the army and the police will be able to manage daily problems, including including in the judicial field, the government spokesperson acknowledged that there could be disturbances, but he insisted on the exceptional nature of these measures and on the stake: to restore peace. Asked about the risk of abuse or even the presence of officers accused of serious crimes in these provinces, the army spokesman, General Kasonga, insisted on the fact that he should not blame the whole the army for the abuses of a few, he also referred to certain unfounded accusations and the work of military justice in the fight against impunity.

A state of siege received differently

Some expressed their satisfaction with the prospect of a return to peace in the region.

The population has suffered too much, believes Jean Bamanisa, the civilian governor of Ituri who has been dismissed to make way for the military administration.

“ 

We have had more than one million 600,000 displaced people, more than 250,000 people in refugee camps and armed groups occupying spaces

 ”, and impose their law, recalls Jean Bamanisa. 

For David Ung'Yertho, a notable of Ituri, the fears relate to the behavior of the soldiers.

“ 

All these soldiers and officers were in criminal gangs ... which are suspected of having had contact with neighboring countries.

It was first necessary to start by identifying and extracting the infiltrators

 ”, regrets David Ung'Yertho.

Another segment of the population thinks that these are the foundations of the country's balkanization, like Gilbert Kambale of civil society in Beni.

Those who are skeptical about the success of this operation think that it "

prepares the bed for balkanization

 ", according to him.

Lamuka side, Martin Fayulu and Adolphe Muzito hope, for their part, that the state of siege is not a "political maneuver to muzzle the Congolese citizens and massively welcome foreign populations in the eastern part of the DRC". 

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