President Felix Tshisekedi has issued orders to arrest key opposition leaders in a bid to cripple the rising dissent and show of lack of confidence in his leadership ahead of the elections on December 20, 2023.
Tshisekedi has asked the DRC Head of Police to issue arrest warrants for Ensemble pour la République (Together for the Republic) officials key to Moise Katumbi’s inner circle.
According to a list of those Tshisekedi wants locked up include Chief of Cabinet and Ensemble spokesperson Olivier Kamitatu.
Also targetted is Katumbi’s special advisor Salomon Kalonda. The Secretary General ofnthe opposition Leadership and Governance (LGD) which is led by Augustin Matata Mpon is also a target for arrest. His name is Francklin Tshiamala. Others are Don Pierrot Sadiki and MP Innocent Kazembe who are part of Katumbi’s team.
The leaked list include Lexxus Legal, whose real name is Alex Dende and Prince Epenge, both members of the inner circle of Martin Fayulu’s Ecide cabinet.
“The idea is to cripple the opposition because the government is feeling the heat. Arrest warrants have been prepared against key men in the entourage of the main opposition,” officials in President Tshisekedi’s government have disclosed.
Observers state that President Tshisekedi and his cabinet are daring serious international sanctions because this authoritarian drift is evident.
The initial plan was to arrest the officials at the sit in protest at CENI but the police wanted to try and behave professionally because of the international backlash following their conduct during an opposition protest on May 20, 2023.
VIDEO OF OPPOSITION LEADERS BEING DENIED THE RIGHT TO PROTEST AT THE CENI OFFICES
