Two weeks after President Felix Tshisekedi and his officials were booed over the weakening currency, the Head of State returned to Stade de Martyrs last night to officially close the 9th Francophone Games and was met with another hostile crowd that drenched him with slogans of disapproval.
As Tshisekedi and the First Lady Denis Nyakeru sat to follow proceedings at the 80, 000 seater which included a performance by the popular rhumba star Ferre Gora, the couple could not escape the humiliation of a noisy crowd that was determined to be heard.
Commentators on various international TV channels that include French and Russian sports channels could not resist but acknowledged that the population was bursting in song that signaled frustration over the weak Congolese francs that was losing value to other currencies.
It was a clear cold shower for President Tshisekedi as the humiliation was visible on his face as the only gesture he could raise was a “plea of mercy” as if to tell the crowd to bear with the poor management of the country.
There is no doubt that Tshisekedi attempted to use the popularity of the Francophone Games as a public relations stunt ahead of the December 20 presidential and parliamentary election.
However, the population showed he had bangled the management of the country as they united to sing “dollars ekita eheee (the dollar has gone up)”.
The population in the stadium showed the global audience that things were not as they are supposed to be in the DRC.
When singer Ferre Gora attempted to sing a praise song in honour of Tshisekedi and the first family stating that things were changing for the better in the DRC, the people immediately contradicted him in the presence of Tshisekedi “Eheee Dollars Ekita heeee.”
Some eyewitness wondered why Ferre Gora, a credible artist, would turn into a sell-out singer that was praising the ruling government when it was evident the majority of the people were suffering.
A similar incident happened at the opening of the games two weeks ago and was prominent when a Cabinet minister read out the speech as the crowd sung dollar ekita.
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