Popular opposition Ensemble Pour la Republique party has strongly denounced the agenda by Fèlix Tshisekedi and the Congolese authorities to blame its leader Moïse Katumbi for the M23 aggression and ongoing war in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
In a statement released on 9th March 2024, the Ensemble Pour la Republique party has denied the recent claims by the Congolese Army (FARDC) that two of five arrested traitors and collaborators of the M23 Rebel Group, Alain Aliongera and Hope Kibuya Sabini, were active members of the party.
Tshisekedi and the Congolese authorities have set an agenda to implicate Katumbi in the ongoing war having failed to deal with escalated situation and advancement of the rebels who continue to occupy new territories everyday in eastern DRC.
“ENSEMBLE POUR LA REPUBLIC denounces the relentlessness of the authorities in wanting to involve it in all evil and in justifying all the setbacks of power by the alleged sins and curses of which the members and leaders of ENSEMBLE are guilty” the party’s statement reads.
The Ensemble Pour la Republique clarified that Moïse Katumbi and his party’s values were not based on aggression and violence and further urged Tshisekedi and his government to focus on real strategies that will end the war in the east rather than blaming the opposition.
“ENSEMBLE POUR LA REPUBLIC and its President are not in the pattern of carrying weapons. That doesn’t tempt us. Many Congolese people believe that the war of aggression in the east of our country will not be won in front of the microphones by multiplying announcements and press communications.
Rather than exposing the name of ENSEMBLE POUR LA REPUBLIC to all the torments and multiplying attempts to manipulate opinion – this cabal had started by saying that the Chief and leader of ENSEMBLE did not condemn the aggression – power would do better to concentrate on the situation in the East which is most worrying and the means to better defend the Congolese.
ENSEMBLE POUR LA REPUBLIC is neither directly nor remotely involved in the rebellion and the misfortunes that result from it. Respectful of the constitution and laws of the DRC, we have chosen and announced our current path of forming a republican opposition. Let this be heard” the statement reads.
