A prominent politician in the Democratic Republic of Congo, who is among the opposition to the Kinshasa government, Moïse Katumbi Chapwe, is expected in Goma in Eastern Congo.
Katumbi Chapwe is the leader of the Assemble Pour la Republique party. He became well-known when he was the governor of the Katanga province, before it was divided into four provinces.
However, even before this, he was known for leading various activities, as he also led for a long time a prominent football team in the DRC known as TP-Mazembe.
It is reported that this prominent politician will arrive in the city of Goma, considered the capital of North Kivu province, in the coming days, and will pass through Kigali in Rwanda.
Goma has been controlled by AFC/M23 since the end of January this year, after the expulsion of Congolese troops and their allies.
Katumbi is reported to be planning to come to Goma, after Kabila, the former president of the DRC, has also arrived there.
Katumbi and Kabila, reports suggest that they may join forces with the M23 group, which has been in conflict with the Kinshasa government for over three years.
In December 2024, the two met in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where they asked President Felix Tshisekedi to restore peace in the DRC.
At that time, they criticized the Congolese government’s collaboration with foreign armed groups, including mercenaries and foreign troops, calling for these foreigners to return to their countries.
Furthermore, they requested that the Kinshasa government prioritize the respect for human rights, cease the persecution of its citizens speaking Kinyarwanda and Swahili, and stop the imprisonment of journalists and dissenters.
The two also do not support President Felix Tshisekedi’s plan to amend the constitution. They indicate that Tshisekedi is doing this to extend his term, asserting that power should be granted by the people, and that amending the constitution should not be viewed as a personal right.
Katumbi and Kabila have agreed to continue working together to find solutions for Congo’s problems, including poverty, the destruction of state resources, poor government functioning, and various other issues.
