Security questions at the heart of Felix Tshisekedi's visit to Goma.President Tshisekede will have a video conference with president Museveni,kagama,Evarist Ndayishimiye on Wednesday.

Republic president Felix Tshisekedi arrived on Monday in Goma, North Kivu province, for a high-voltage visit focusing on security issues, on the foundation of killing in Beni and community tensions in South Kivu ...

President Tshisekedi is scheduled to participate in a video conference on Wednesday with his counterparts from neighbouring countries and concerned with security in eastern DRC: Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi.

At least eight people were killed by ADF  again Monday morning in Mamove, Beni territory, 350 km north of Goma, said Territory Administrator Donat Kibwana.

Experts from the Kivu Security Barometer (KST) in the Beni region confirmed the attack, without giving a record.

Some protests before Felix arrives

On his plane descent, President Tshisekedi was booed by a handful of protesters who reminded him that Congo is ′′ indivisible ".

A clear allusion to the political controversy that ignites the neighbouring province of South Kivu. A controversy that sends the Congolese back to dark hours of the two Congo wars (1996-2003) and the direct interference of its neighbors in its territory, starting with Rwanda.

Last week an official delegation raised the village of Minembwe to the rank of rural commune on the highlands of Fizi territory.

The Mayor of Minembwe and the majority of its inhabitants are Banyamulenge; Rwandophone Congolese whose militias are in conflict with armed groups in other communities.

This Administrative decision has awakened the spectre of a ′′ balkanization ′′ of the East DRC in the spirit of many Congolese people, starting with Rwanda.

′′ I ask the Congolese to oppose the establishment of Minembwe in rural township. This reckless initiative is a serious threat to the territorial integrity of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. I invite the Congolese people to vigilance so as to fail this country's balkanization plan ", tweeted opponent and ex-candidate for president Martin Fayulu.

In South Kivu, the Bishop of Uvira Sébastien Muyengo has regretted this decision which ′′ far from being capable of facilitating true peace in the Highlands, on the contrary, gives rise to a lot of animosity ".

Church man wonders about President Tshisekedi's ′′ responsibility ′′

President Tshisekede tries to save Ambassador Karega from the wrath of CONGOLESE Nationals,but it is all in vain.

 In the Democratic Republic of Congo, President Félix Tshisekedi calms the game. The Congolese head of state has taken a decision on the case Vincent Karega, Rwandan ambassador accused of denialism over the Congolese massacres in Kasika, South Kivu, in 1998. Vincent Karega had relativized Rwandan military responsibility and rejected the contents of the Mapping report as published by the United Nations High Commissioner. No question of expelling this diplomat, said the president before Congolese journalists based in Brussels. Talks that spark a shield lift in Kinshasa.

′′ There is no point in creating an unfortunate incident ", the president said. Felix Tshisekedi said diplomatic efforts have been taken for Kigali to reframe Vincent Karega. The President's words have been faithfully reported by the press, says RFI one of his close collaborators.

For Senator Pro-Kabila, Francine Muyumba, who has been fulminating for several months against the ′′ lack of restraint ′′ of diplomats accredited in Kinshasa, ′′ We cannot sacrifice the honor of a nation to satisfy the interests of allies ". Also, President of the Committee on External Relations of the Congolese Senate, Francine Muyumba considered that Vincent Karega had committed a ' serious mistake ' which ' should be clearly reported by the Congolese authorities ".

The citizen movement Lucha believes that President Tshisekedi is not brave to assume such a decision. He accuses the head of state of violating the dignity of the Congolese people.

When in the Filimbi movement, whose coordinator Floribert Anzuluni, he deems the position of the president unacceptable and promises to continue his mobilization. ′′ The position of the President of the Republic is difficult to understand and not acceptable, especially as it goes against the will of the vast majority of citizens explains Floribert Anzuluni. What would Rwanda have done if a foreign diplomat made similar words to Rwanda about the Rwandan genocide? We will continue the mobilization campaign until the diplomat leaves the DRC, it is truly a matter of dignity! ′′

It's not just civil society that calls for the deportation of Vincent Karega. Members of opposition are part of the number. Both camps are rising, not only by the absence of official commemorations, but also by the lack of justice for the 617 crimes listed in the United Nations Mapping report.

President Tshisekede will be in Goma tommorrow

 

Many DRC police officer completed their training on Friday

The esplanade of the General Commissioner of the Congolese National Police served this Friday, October 02, 2020 as a framework for the closure of the first pilot session of the students commissioners finalists of the Police Academy in front of the political and military officials, we have Some of the figures are recognized among many others: Deputy Prime Minister, Interior Minister, Security and Customary Affairs and his Deputy Minister, Chief of General Staff of FARDC, represented by one of his deputy, Commissioner General of the PNC, Head of the Military House of the Head of State, Former Commissioner General of the PNC, General Bisengimana, MONUSCO Police Commander, Director General of Schools and Training, provincial Commissioner City of Kinshasa, Academy Commander and many more FARDC and PNC General, Superior and Junior Officers. All were in the spotlight with the live broadcast at RTNC.

From the course to the ceremony

Police Academy Commander Principal Higher Commissioner (Colonel) Ambroise LANGA MOKOBA opened the activity with his opening remarks, especially thanks to the President of the Republic, Head of State, Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces and National Police Congolese for his special attention to training within the ¨Police with a view to professionalizing the elements so that the Congolese people have a Republican police, trained, equipped and respectful of human rights to carry out their mission of securing Persons and their properties (...) hence the name baptized for this promotion: ′′ Felix Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo ′′ and urged the Government to expedite the finalization of the facilities to house the Police Academy in Kimpoko in Maluku Municipality ...

As a reminder, the PNC reform support programme initiated by the Government of the former Kabila regime resulted in the construction of a modern Police Academy framework on financial and technical support from the European Union. This Kimpoko installation includes an Administrative Building, 128 bed dorm, classrooms for commissioners and deputy commissioners training, a health center and a guard body.

The PNC Commissioner General also addressed this in his intervention and invited the winners to honor the Police throughout their professional careers.

Presentation of technical sheets

120 students opened the session on May 08, 2017, 102 passed the 2017-2018 session tests and 100 passed the second terminal year and only 97 recipients in total including 14 Women have succeeded in obtaining the diploma of Police Commissioner and commissioned to the rank of Deputy Commissioner (Sub Lieutenant) by Ministerial Order No. 25 / CAB / VPM / MININTERSECAC / 009/2020.

In 24 months of training they have received a total of 82 practical courses to equip the police officer managers and leaders capable of including: ordering a police squadron (cavalry or gendarmerie unit of several platoons); Frame efficiently the OPJs under their authority; find solutions to security concerns in their business island; etc.

To ensure their training, the Academy used trainers qualities including: University Professors; Heads of Works and Assistants of Universities; Magistrates and Lawyers; Senior Officers FARDC and PNC Trainers and Instructors;

The knowledge acquired by the winners has gone into three main axes: General training; Technico-professional training; and Legal training.

From the anthem of the Police Academy

The first promotion called ′′ Félix Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo ′′ had the merit of producing the anthem of the Police Academy which was sung in front of the assist. No need to recall the moving, poignant character that will forever be used to awaken patriotic moose within the body.

From the call to the Government of the Republic

The Director of Schools and Training and the Commissioner General of the Congolese National Police have each urged the Government of the Republic to equip this institution with the police with the logistical and technical means necessary for the operation as well as to finalise the construction and equipment of the Police Academy facilities in Kimpoko in Maluku township and consider expanding this framework in future to contain nearly 400 students instead of a hundred, taking into consideration the country's greatness and expectations of the population.

Police Academy Commandment

The Police Academy is led by the Chief Superior Commissioner (equivalent to Colonel) Ambroise LANGA MOKOBA, A Certified Staff (BEM) at Commanding School in Egypt in Cairo, Former Director of Officer Training School of Judicial Police for 7 years.

According to the regulations in this matter, he should have the rank of Deputy Divisionary Commissioner (General), it is up to the President of the Republic and the Supreme Council of Defence to resolve the matter.

He has been the leader of the Academy since 2015, more than 15 years of activity in the field of training in the DRC since 2004 at ENAP (National Police School) as Commandant.

Reform of the Congolese National Police

The President of the Republic Félix Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo can at least count on competent and experienced people to set up his policy of capacity-building and training within the Congolese National Police to restore the once tarnished image of this state institution ... I

Therefore, should we confess that the task will not be easy for him until the reform process of the Police Reform does not affect the Major Operational Units, Directorates, and PNC Central and Specialty Services area of command because says ′′ there are not bad troops, but bad leaders ", good ones are to be identified among the bad ones and that requires objective non-partisan work, without clientelism or nepotism.

President Tshisekede is expected in Goma on this Monday.

President Tshisekedi Tshilombo is again expected in the city of Goma, capital of the province of North Kivu. He should arrive during the week of October 05 to 10 after the postponement of the last trip planned in this city which was announced on September 22. In the meeting of the Provincial Council of Ministers held on Friday October 02 in Sake in the territory of Masisi, Governor Carly Nzanzu Kasivita informed members of his government that the arrival of the President of the Republic in this tourist city is now "imminent. ". “The provincial governor announced the imminent arrival in the provinces of the President of the Republic, the Head of State, Félix Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo. Thus, the entire population is invited to give it a delusional welcome, ”insists the report read by Jean-Bosco Sebishimbo, spokesperson for the provincial government. As a reminder on September 22, the Congolese president postponed his planned trip to this city for lack of an overloaded agenda. A mini-summit of heads of state initiated by Félix Tshisekedi, which should also be held in Goma, had also been postponed.

7 civilians dead in another ADF attack in Beni

 There was throughout the day of Saturday, October 03, 2020, within the population of the locality of Bakila-Bakiku in the Batangi-Mbau grouping in the territory of Beni in North Kivu. According to Kinos Katuo, president of the local civil society, this situation occurs after the new incursion of the ADF rebels in this agglomeration where 7 civilians were killed and two others wounded. The same source said that the inhabitants of this locality fled this place and some went to secure places. “I inform you that we are now in concern. The population fled and the place is empty since the morning of this Saturday,Mamove and its surroundings are quiet and empty. It is a Pyschosis that reigns here now. Some are heading to Oicha, the capital of the territory and others are heading for Ituri province, ”he said. This civil society executive adds that the police are pursuing the enemies who continue to mourn the population of this corner. Rosette Kavula, deputy administrator of the territory in charge of finances reassured that the situation is under the control of the armed forces of the DRC. “May the population remain quiet. We are monitoring the situation closely with our soldiers, the rebel threat is already moving away from the attacked environment, ”she said. It should be noted that, to decry the persistence of the massacres in this region 6 years later, the pressure group Véranda Mutsanga took to the streets that same Saturday to call on the authorities to take the issue of the killings in Beni in hand.

2 maimai,1 FARDC soldier killed in the night of Thursday to Friday October 02/10/2020 in Nyamilima

 

As i ealier reported about a clash in Nyamilima on 26/9/2020,you can read more   https://acidicsecurity.blogspot.com/2020/09/on-sunday-evening-there-was-clash.html?m=1   ,Two MaiMai and a FARDC soldier were killed the night of Thursday to Friday October 02, 2020 in a new clash in Nyamilima. This is the result of an exchange of fire between these May-May fighters and soldiers around 10 p.m. in the Tumaini neighborhood in this part of the Binza groupement, in Rutshuru territory. Independent sources in Nyamilima report that a residual Mai-Mai fighters from the group of former Mai-Mai commander Charles Bokande came to see his family in Tumaini neighborhood on Thursday. Soldiers installed in this area have been reported of this presence. They then ambushed this element. At 10 p.m. on Thursday, October 01, 2020, they opened fire on Mr. Consolé who was talking with his brother. An exchange of fire ensued in which the two brothers fell. The weapon that Mai-Mai held was recovered by the loyalist army. Our sources there speak of an FARDC element killed in this exchange of fire. Operational sector spokesman Sokola II spoke of a clash with  MaiMais who had infiltrated the town of Nyamilima. For Major Guillaume, the army wanted to disarm the Mai-Mais in order to put them out of harm's way. The army spokesman also said that he deplored the death of an officer. He reassures that the situation is under control.

In 6 month,there will be no war in eastern DRC says Silyvan Mutombo.

Delegate to the Minister of National Defense and Veterans Affairs, declared this Saturday, October 3, 2020, that the war which has been raging for several years in the east of the country will end in 6 months. Statement made by Sylvain Mutombo during a press briefing organized in Kinshasa on the occasion of year one of his assumption of office as Minister in charge of ex-combatants in the Ilunga administration. "In 6 months, there will be no more war in the East. I myself will be on the ground there in the East," said Sylvain Mutombo. However, this member of the Ilunga government lamented the fact that among the people who fuel the war in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo, there are some who live here in the capital Kinshasa. "Those responsible for the war in the East live with us, they are with us (...) This war is maintained by people with whom we live, politicians, generals", denounced the Minister Delegate to the Minister of National Defense in charge of Veterans Affairs. Now,my question is:if they know them,why can't they arrest them?Regarding the results of his action within the coalition government this minister considers it positive. "Our record is positive but there is still a lot of other things to do," said Sylvain Mutombo.

Ugandan cabinet has approved the construction of roads in eastern DRC.

“Cabinet has approved the construction and upgrading of the national road from Kasindi section (border) to Beni (80kms) and the integration of the Beni-Butembo Axis (54 kms) to national road,” said Uganda government spokesperson, Ofwono Opondo on Tuesday.

He further said government would also construct another road from Bunagana in South Western district of Kisoro through Ruchuru up to Goma (89kms).

Opondo said the project “will benefit the government and people of Uganda through the economic interconnectivity that would provide improved mobility and ease of business.”

This development comes almost a year after President Museveni and his DRC counterpart, Felix Tshisekedi agreed at State House Entebbe to jointly construct roads to facilitate cross border trade.

Other roads being considered include Mpondwe-Beni road which is about 977 kilometres and Goli-Bunia road (181 Kilometres).

The volume of trade between Uganda and DR Congo was estimated at $ 531 million by July 2019, but this is largely informal.

Uganda last year decided to focus on the DRC market after Rwanda closed its borders to Ugandan goods and stopped Rwandans from visiting Uganda.

Uganda’s trade with Rwanda was worth $200m.

The closure of the border by Rwandan authorities saw Ugandan manufacturers lose millions of dollars, compelling Kampala to look elsewhere for market.

Museveni, who has in recent years spearheaded an ambitious industrialization policy to promote the manufacturing sector, is keen on expanding the regional market for goods produced in Uganda.

Some of Uganda’s major exports include coffee, tea, spices, fish, dairy, eggs, honey, sugar, confectionary, steel, sugar, cotton, cement, plastics and pharmaceuticals among others.

During the Entebbe meeting, Museveni and Tshisekedi noted “with concern the numerous trade restrictive measures and infrastructure bottlenecks, which increase the cost of doing business in the region.”

Security

Both leaders agreed to fast-track the implementation of infrastructure projects to increase trade and investment between both countries.

According to research by Uganda Bureau of Statistics, some of the major problems faced by traders while participating in cross border trade include forced bribery, ambushes and robbery, confiscation or loss of goods to border officials and imprisonment or detention.

The Beni-Butembo Axis where the new roads will be constructed is known as the ‘death triangle’ for providing refuge to militants especially the Ugandan rebel movement, Allied Democratic Forces (ADF).

The ADF have in recent years stepped up their military activities near the Ugandan border, killing civilians and UN peacekeepers.

Routing the rebel movements would be a major requirement for the successful implementation of the infrastructure project.

Still, tarmac roads are necessary in Eastern Congo to allow DRC security forces quickly respond to emergencies and even realize state presence.

Poor roads continue to undermine efforts to develop the area, creating a fertile ground for rebel movements to recruit and terrorize the region.

Tshisekedi, whose government has since last year waged a protracted military operation against ADF rebels, agreed to work closely with Uganda and other countries in the region to address the issue of negative forces and other armed groups in Eastern DRC.

Ugandan Foreign Affairs Minister Sam Kutesa said joint efforts must be “strengthened to deal with the negative forces and armed groups such as ADF that terrorizes the population. We believe that neutralizing such groups and denying them sanctuary to operate, will contribute significantly in creating a peaceful environment for trade and investment to thrive.”

DRC has since expressed willingness to join East African Community.

Seven years later, Kampala and Kinshasa revive their electric interconnection project

Silent since 2014, Uganda-Democratic Republic of the Congo power transmission line project surfaces with convergence of interest from both countries.

Through the Nile Basin Initiative, an organization bringing together the countries responsible for regulating waters of the river, Kampala and Kinshasa agreed in mid-September to update a feasibility study to be funded by the African Bank of development (AfDB), for electric interconnection between the two countries. A first grind had been finalized in 2014 by American society Aecom. However, this one did not lead to the construction of a construction site due to lack of funding.

Posted as a priority for the Nile Basin Initiative, this project plans to renovate the Nkenda power station in western Uganda and link it to the city of Beni in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. To this first stretch, 138 km long, must be added a second line of 214 km between the Congolese communities of Butembo and Bunia.

The objective of this interconnection is finally to be able to export the excess energy produced by Ugandan side to the north-east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Located in the north of the two Kivus, this area is a true 'black pocket' of the Congolese grid, where electricity is provided thanks to expensive diesel generators.

In the spirit of its proponents, this new infrastructure is supposed to contribute to the development of a zone facing ongoing conflicts with armed militias. It is located in the immediate vicinity of the ′′ Triangle of Death ", known as one of the Ugandan rebel shrines of the Allied Democratic Forces(ADF). Present in the Democratic Republic of the Congo since the early 90 s, the latter have carried out numerous bloody raids in surrounding towns and villages.