The governor of North Kivu denied on Monday, November 27, having banned the distribution of humanitarian aid from presidential candidate Moïse Katumbi to those displaced, located at Kanyarutshinya and Bulengo (North Kivu).

In a statement released the same day, Major-General Peter Cirimwami dismissed allegations circulating on social media about the prohibition of 100 tons of food and other non-food items to these displaced people.

These allegations have sparked a lot of reactions since the weekend in the city of Goma and tensions in the displacement camps targeted by this humanitarian aid.

“Contrary to rumors circulating on social media that the provincial military governorate refused the distribution of gifts intended for the displaced, brought by candidate Moïse Katumbi Chapwe, the provincial authority says it is not involved in any way and as such, it calls CARITAS North Kivu as a witness, the organization in charge of distributing said gifts,” the statement read.

Furthermore, following a meeting on the same Monday at the governorate between the authorities and CARITAS, the misunderstanding was clarified, and the distribution of this aid could begin on Tuesday, confirmed the director of this Catholic organization.

This humanitarian assistance had been handed over last Friday to CARITAS in the presence of the displaced at the Kanyarutshinya camp.

However, the cargo could not be unloaded in order to be distributed to the beneficiaries.

Patrick Mundeke, a member of Ensemble pour la République, the political party of Moïse Katumbi, states that it was the police officer in charge of security at the displacement camp who had refused entry of this aid to the site.

“CARITAS should proceed with the distribution of the donation provided by Moïse Katumbi, and CARITAS vehicles arrived at the Bulengo and Kanyarutshinya camps, and the police intervened to say that they had received orders that these goods should not be distributed in the displacement camps. We condemn this selfish, wicked attitude in the face of such blatant misery; every initiative, every hand can count,” he criticized.

For his part, the president of the Nyiragongo civil society, Thierry Gasisiro, thought that the humanitarian situation of the displaced should not be exploited by politicians.

He also called on authorities to facilitate the distribution of this aid for the well-being of the already suffering displaced population:

"The war-displaced population received with joy the news that Moïse Katumbi has provided assistance to alleviate the suffering they endure in various displaced camps. However, we are criticizing the behavior of certain politicians who want to use this aid for electoral purposes. We request that the conditions be eased and that this aid be distributed to those in need."

MMC / RO