Opposition activists, gathered Saturday (May 20th) in a working-class neighborhood of Kinshasa for an authorized march, were violently dispersed by the police, who accused them of not having respected the route established by the authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo).
A hundred demonstrators stood on Kianza, a strategic artery in the center of the Congolese capital, an hour before the official start of the march, chanting slogans hostile to President Felix Tshisekedi, an AFP team found. These demonstrators came to answer the call of four opponents declared candidates in the presidential election of December. "Life has become untenable, look at how the volume of bread has noticeably decreased. We demand change in Congo, social change," said Bindanda Bilisi, a father of six.
Dozens of riot police arrived in their vehicles, tensions quickly rose and police fired tear gas and forcefully arrested at least a dozen people.
This demonstration "against the high cost of living" was organized by Martin Fayulu (ECiDé, Commitment for Citizenship and Development), already a candidate in the 2018 presidential election that he claims to have won, the former governor of Katanga Moïse Katumbi (Together for the Republic), former Prime Minister Augustin Matata (LGD, Leadership and Governance for Development) and MP Delly Sesanga (Flight of the DRC).
'A peaceful march'
Prevented from advancing by the police, these leaders were immobilized in their vehicles. "It is very sad" to see that under the reign of Felix Tshisekedi, a former opponent, we can not respect the right of the Congolese population to demonstrate "against the high cost of living", regretted Moïse Katumbi.
"This is a peaceful march, to protest against a chaotic electoral process that prepares President Tshisekedi to take power by force, against the high cost of living, against oppression," said former Prime Minister Matata.
"The march is allowed" but on the "other side" of the city, in the northwest, said Faustin Numbi, the commander who led the police operation, interviewed by journalists. "We exchanged with (the protesters) telling them to clear the road and reach the starting point which is located in Mbeseke. They didn't want to comply," he said.
On this route, another group of protesters was framed by police before being dispersed when they tried to head towards the parliament building, an AFP correspondent found.
The next single-round presidential election is scheduled for December 20. In power since January 2019, Felix Tshisekedi is running for re-election.
With AFP
The summary of the week France 24 invites you to look back on the news that marked the week
I subscribe
Take international news with you everywhere! Download the France 24 app