Deadly Violence in Kindu: MP Rashidi Calls for Justice to Determine Responsibilities

National Deputy Rubin Rashidi Bukanga on Tuesday, November 28, requested the Congolese justice to determine responsibilities in the case of the shooting death, on the same Tuesday, of Dido Kankisingi, an official of the political party "Ensemble pour la République," in Kindu (Maniema).

This tragedy occurred during scuffles between a group of youths and police officers upon the arrival of presidential candidate Moïse Katumbi in the capital of Maniema province.

"In any case, I strongly deplore what has just been committed, and I demand that justice take hold of this umpteenth case of murder, targeted assassinations like this against innocent youths who are cut down in the city of Kindu, may light be shed," lamented the elected representative of the Kindu electoral constituency.

Dido Kankisingi was struck by a bullet fired by police who were attempting to restore order after a group of youths caused disturbance by throwing projectiles at the procession of Moïse Katumbi, who had just arrived in Kindu for his electoral campaign.

"We are not the only province in the country, we see presidential candidates crisscrossing all other provinces, we haven't yet recorded any deaths, so less vandalism and violence like what we have experienced in Kindu," deplored the elected official of Maniema.

Deputy Rashidi Bukanga Rubin recalls that this is not the first time in the current year that acts of political intolerance in this city have degenerated into violence with loss of human life.

"What I deplore in all this is the loss of human life. Because it's not the first time that young people have been killed in the city of Kindu simply because they express their opinions; it shouldn't be like this in a republic, especially one that claims to be democratic," he regretted.

Last February 17, one person was killed and more than 20 others seriously injured following disturbances at a voter registration center in Kindu.

This tension among young people occurred after Salomom Idi Kalonda, an official of Moïse Katumbi's "Ensemble pour la République," left the EP Mamboleo voter registration center where he was registering on the voter list.