DRC – 29 April 2016

DRC police fired teargas to break opposition leader Katumbi’s rally

Police fired shots and teargas to break up a crowd before a political rally by opposition leader and potential presidential candidate Moise Katumbi in Democratic Republic of Congo on Sunday, an official and the opposition said.

Katumbi said in a statement that police had arrested people close to him, and that others had been injured in the incident in the city of Lubumbashi. But government spokesman Lambert Mende said police intervened to disperse people who were blocking roads, preventing normal traffic. No rally had been scheduled, he said.

Standard Media

UN envoy expresses ‘serious concern’ over rising political tensions

The head of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) has expressed serious concern about rising political tensions in some parts of the country.

In a press release, MONUSCO said the situation follows the announcement by certain political groups and parties of their intention to organize political gatherings in Kinshasa and Lubumbashi, and subsequent measures taken by the security forces to prevent the holding of these gatherings.

UN News