Police used tear gas to disperse opposition protestors who had regrouped in Super Lemba, preventing them from moving.
Written by Chris Muhizi Minembwe Capital News 6:30pm Kinshasa Time.
The security officers deployed tear gas to obstruct the four opponents and their supporters. A number of activists were detained, and the opposition claimed significant injuries. Mose Katumbi claims to be terribly depressed:
Four opposition parties organized this march to express their displeasure with the high cost of living, the widespread insecurity in the DRC, and the lack of transparency in the electoral preparations for the end-of-the-year elections.
On Saturday, May 20, the police detained dozens of opposition activists near Super Lemba and Kianza in the Ngaba/Kinshasa commune. The police, who dispersed their march, accuse them of deviating from the path suggested by Gentiny Ngobila, the city’s governor. Additionally, the latter had approved the policies of a few reigning majority parties.
Other political groupings of the governing majority, particularly the Alliance of Progressive Congolese (ACP) and the Youth League of the Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS), had also been given permission by Gentiny Ngobila to organize protests.
Their protest should begin there as well at the Ngaba roundabout, in front of the Saint-Raphael church in Limete.
Both the opposition and the government’s political groupings have urged their supporters to march this coming Saturday, May 20, through the streets of the Congolese capital. The Kinshasa city-province governor gave his approval to these two protests.
Other political groupings of the majority in power, particularly the Alliance of Progressive Congolese (ACP) and the Youth League of the Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS), were also given permission by Gentiny Ngobila to organize protests.
He said that the routes that had been freely chosen through the letters of various political parties were taken into consideration by the urban authority.
“He (Editor’s note: Gentiny Ngobila) consequently had to split in order to maintain peace and public order in the city. The provincial minister of interior of Kinshasa issued a warning to this effect, saying, “The urban authority recalled that in the event of a disturbance of public order, in the event of vandalism, in the event of both physical damage and any disturbance of the tranquility of Kinshasa people, criminal liability and organizers would be engaged.”