An American organization known as the American Observatory for Free and Transparent Elections has commenced legal proceedings in Washington DC against an American citizen of Congolese heritage Noelle Tshiani for promoting a law that is discriminatory and has the potential to fan ethnic clashes in the Democratic Republic of Congo ahead of the polls in December this year.
Prof. Tshiani, well-known to be an appendage of incumbent President Felix Tshisekedi, is calling on the Congolese National Assembly to pass a law that requires a presidential candidate to have 100% heritage in which both his or her parents are Congolese.
Observers believe the law is sponsored by the ruling party to eliminate popular opposition leader Moise Katumbi whose father, Nissim Soriano, a Jewish-Greek, arrived in the DRC in the early 1900s and married a local to settle here.
Katumbi enjoys massive support in the Southeast Katanga and other parts of the country making him a strong contender for the top job.
Katangese have warned that should Katumbi be exluded from the election this year, the region will secede.
There are fears, too, that the exclusion of Katumbi from the December 20, 2023 polls will trigger unrest particularly fueling ethnic clashes between Katangese and Kasais.
Ethnic tribes in Katanga have often clashes with Kasais with the most gruesome encounter being when Katangese coined the terms tuba telemushe (let’s drive them out) or tuba uwe (let’s kill them) as a way of riding the region of their nemesis during the Mobutu Sese Seko era.
Prof. Tshiani’s law is also seen as a direct attack at people of jewish heritage and that it borders on antisemitic vibes.
AOFFE have issued a statement saying Prof. Tshiani’s law was stocking the fire in Congo.
“In view of the dangers that this rhetoric can create in the DRC, we have just taken our steps for Noël Tshiani to explain himself to the American courts and we have also challenged the Department of State on this subject and are awaiting a firm reaction,” says F. Covino, the press officer.
She stated that Prof.Tshiani’s rhetoric was an enemy of progress because it bordered on antisemitic and discriminatory tendencies which should not be tolerated in modern day politics.
She states that the the so-called “Tshiani” bill (DRC) was intended not only to lock access to the functions of sovereignty of the country but also make the election of an individual to the highest public office questionable.
“For the AOFFE, this idea is contrary to the principles of democracy, equality among all citizens,” Covino states. “Such a project would also be unfair to Congolese migrants and their children who constitute a huge diaspora community and support the DRC economically.”
The AOFFE has expressed surprise that such a discriminatory and volatile idea which speaks against its own peinciples is being advanced by an American citizen like Prof. Noël Tshiani Mwadiamvita in foreign territory.
“It is deplorable to note that these discriminatory ideas are carried by an American. They do not represent our concept of democracy,” Covino states.
Prof. Tshiani’s bill has previously failed to meet the necessary legislative provisions to be admitted for debate in the Congolese National Assembly.
