President Felix Tshisekedi has again denied the opposition permission to hold a sit-in protest at the premises of the Independent Electoral Commission (CENI).
The denial was made through the provincial government of Kinshasa who state that it had received a request for the protest billed for Thursday, May 25, 2023, in the commune of Gombe, in the capital of the DR Congo.
The provincial executive evoked the fact that the chosen site is considered a neutral zone and prohibited to demonstrations.
“In doing so, I cannot allow this activity because the site chosen by you for the said activity is included among the neutral zones. In accordance with the decree of the governor of the city of September 30, 2021, prohibiting public demonstrations in certain areas in the city of Kinshasa”, Gerard Mulumba, deputy governor, writes.
This is in response to the correspondence addressed to the four opposition parties who organized the sit. They include Ensemble pour la Republique (Together for the Republic) Envol, ECIDé and LGD.
Mulumba has instead asked the opposition parties led by Moise Katumbi, Martin Fayulu, Delly Sesanga and Augustin Matata Mpon to form a group of 10 to present their grievances to the CENI.
