MOISE KATUMBI: CONGO HAS ONLY KNOWN POOR LEADERSHIP SINCE INDEPENDENCE

The Democratic Republic of Congo has nothing to be proud of 60 years after independence, all thanks to the leadership that has had the opportunity to govern the country after it was decolonised from Belgium.
This was the message from Moise Katumbi, Chairman of  the heroic African football club TP Mazembe.

Katumbi, who is also President of opposition party Esemble (Together), was delivering his message for the country's 60 Years Independence Day celebrations.
According to him, there was not a single sector in society where Congolese people can attest to and take pride in those who have ruled them over years.

He then highlighted almost all the failures that has basically turned the country into a collapsed state; from the lost of territorial sovereignty (as foreign forces continues to occupy certain parts of the country), dilapidated health system, endemic poverty and lack of infrastructural development.

Katumbi also took the opportunity to oppose any attempt to change the current judicial laws, as being proposed by members of the ruling majority in the National Assembly.

But despite providing a gloomy picture, Moise Katumbi proclaimed that he remains confident about the future of the country and called on the population to stay united.

Given his popularity, it's expected that the football Chairman and former Governor, will contest the 2023 Presidential Elections.

The Democratic Republic of Congo celebrated 60 years of independence on the 30th of June 2020.

VIDEO: MORE CORRUPTION INVESTIGATION TO FOLLOW, INCLUDING BUKANGALONZO, FELIX

In a telelevised speech to mark 60 years of the country's  independence, the Democratic Republic of Congo President Felix Tshisekedi promised to put an end to impunity, saying that this was at the centre of his strategy to develop the country.

As he made reference to the 100 DAYS corruption trial, which saw his Chief of Staff Vital Kamerhe being sentenced to prison for corruption, the President indicated that other similar trial may follow, as investigation will be conducted into the mismanagement of funds in the agricultural project of Bukangalonzo; and further investigations in the mining sector and infrastructural development projects.

While agreeing to engage in dialogue with other instutions and parties in order to maintain stability in the country, the President also made it clear that no one will be above the rule of law enshrined in the Constitution, irrespective of whether they hold majority seats in the National Assembly or form the biggest political party. For many analysts, Tshisekedi was alluding to the coalition movement of the Common Front for Congo(FCC), which controls Parliament, and have been pushing for the introduction of unpopular laws; including that which will lead to judicial reforms.

Meanwhile Tshisekedi also made it clear that he will not accept any law that will act as a pretext to undermine the principles of justice.

PRESIDENT FELIX TSHISEKEDI PROMISE TO MAINTAIN INDEPENDENCE OF JUDICIARY

President Felix Tshisekedi swearing in Attorney General for the Consititutional Court Jean Paul Mukolo, photo by Presidency RDC

Speaking to union representatives of the country's magistrates, President Felix Tshisekedi promised to maintain the independent of the judicial system and promote fair justice; according to him this was very important and in accordance with establishing the rule of law.

Magistrates representatives speaking to the press, after meeting with President Felix Tshisekedi, audio visual in French

The meeting between the President and the magistrates, which took place on Saturday 27 June 2020 , comes at a time when some lawmakers are calling for the amendment of certain sections of the judicial law, to give power to the Justice Minister.

Earlier on, magistrates across the Democratic Republic of Congo held peaceful march to denounce the propose amendment to the judicial law, fearing that it could affect their ability to exercise their duty independently.

The law was also  at the centre of the arrest of Justice Minister Tunda Ya Kasenda. The minister was interogated by the Attorney General after he submitted a letter to the National Assembly claiming that government had approved the debate on the proposed judicial reforms to go ahead , when infact cabinet had never discussed the matter in the first place. The minister was later released

Apart from supporting their view, President Tshisekedi also promised to improve the living and social conditions of the country's magistrates.

KINSHASA: DONALD TRUMP MESSAGE TO PRESIDENT FELIX TSHISEKEDI

United States President Donald Trump has sent a well wish letter to President Felix Tshisekedi, as the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) approaches 60th anniversary of independence; to be celebrated on 30 June 2020.

In the letter, Trump commended the Congolese leader's effort to fight corruption and establish good governance. He also acknowledged the commitment made by the authorities to develop the health and education system, and imporove security; even amidst the global pandemic and the emergence of the Ebola disease.

According to Trump, the DRC is an important country in Central Africa , and the region will gain immensely from Congo's drive to bring peace and economic opportunities.

Relations between the USA and DRC seems to be on the mend ever since the election of President Felix Tshisekedi in 2018. Previously both countries had found themselves in very tense diplomatic exchange, as the US administration had expressed its discontent with the brutal regime of Joseph Kabila and its delay tactics in advancing democratic reforms.
But with Tshisekedi in power, the Trump government, through its Ambassador Mike Hammer, has chosen to take a supportive approach and  has become increasingly optimistic on the current leadership to bring about positive change.

The  United States remains one of the leading financial donor for the DRC, contributing funds towards humanitarian work and the promotion of peace and security.

BREAKING: CONGOLESE JUSTICE MINISTER ARRESTED

Police in Kinshasa pounce on the residence of Justice Minister Tunda Ya Kasenda, on Saturday afternoon, and had him arrested.

A warrant of arrest had been issued by the Office of the Attorney General in Matete, against the minister, over the submission of false claims.

The minister had submitted a letter to the National Assembly indicating that the Council of Ministers had approved the proposed amendment to the judicial law be debated in Parliament. However this was later found to be false since the Council had not even addressed the matter yet.

Some cabinet ministers had been angered by the Justice Minister's action, which they felt undermined the leadership of President Felix Tshisekedi.

ASSAILANTS FROM BURUNDI ATTACK RWANDAN SOLDIERS

According to a statement from the Rwandan Defense Force, the gunmen attacked a military based in the locality of Ruheru on Friday 26 June 2020, before retreating back to Burundi, which was about a km away.

The incident left three Rwandan soldiers with minor injuries and four assailant dead, said the spokesperson for the Rwandan army Lt Innocent Munyengango.

This was not the first attack in the region, coming from Burundi, three years ago a similar occurrence took place, leaving two people death.

There have not been any official response from the Burundian government, however the Rwandan authorities have promised to pursue the attackers.

Relations between both Rwanda and Burundi have been extremely tense for more than a decade, with each party accusing the other of supporting rebel movements wishing to destabilise their country


. Four Rwandan soldiers were injured in the process

KINSHASA: PRESIDENCY DENIES FELIX ABANDONED CABINET MEETING DUE TO TENSION BETWEEN HIM AND JUSTICE MINISTER

Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi, photo by Presidency

A letter from the office of the Chief of Staff, has denied allegations that President Felix Tshisekedi had cut short the 37th session of the Council of Ministers meeting, after being undermined by the Minister of Justice.

The President instead had to rush to attend another video conference with Head of States from the Continent.

 Sources attending the ministerial meeting alleged that President Tshisekedi dropped the video chat after being informed about the Minister of Justice, Tunda Ya Kasenda,  already submitting a letter to the National Assembly, indicating that cabinet has approved the proposed amendment to the judicial law be debated in Parliament. But the matter was yet to be discussed by the Council of Ministers.

According to the sources, the Minister of Justice raised the subject for discussion, but was quickly interrupted by one of the cabinet members, who informed the President that he was being made a fool since the Minister already took the decision on behalf of government. The President then turned to the Minister to find out whether there was any truth to this, a question the Minister could not deny.

Later, a civil society movement called on the Attorney General to open a criminal investigation against the Justice Minister, for approving a government letter without the consent and knowledge of the cabinet.
However the Minister defended himself by arguing that, a copy of the letter was handed over to the office of the Prime Minister.

The proposed amendment to the judicial law, which was brought forward by members of Parliament Aubin Minaku and Garry Sakata, caused tension across the country with the fear that if passed it could interfere with the independence of the judiciary.

KINSHASA: MEMBERS OF CACH WITHDRAW FROM COMMITTEE REVIEWING JUDICIAL LAWS

Some parliamentarians from the CACH coalition, which is made up of members from the Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS) and Union for the Congolese Nation (UNC), have withdrawn their participation from the Administrative and Legal Policy Committee of the National Assembly. The Committee had been assigned with reviewing certain sections of the judicial legislation.

According to the members, such review cannot be continued since it violate several Articles of the Constitution.
They were also hoping that the Committee will take into account the violent protest that erupted in Kinshasa, over the proposed amendment to the judicial law, and stop the review. The protest was a clear message from ordinary Congolese citizens that they are against the amendment, said one of the Parliamentarians.

But on Friday 26 June 2020, despite the objection, the Committee decided to go ahead with reviewing the proposed judicial amendment anyway.

A reminder that members of the Common  Front for Congo (FCC), Aubin Minaku and Garry Sakata, had submitted a motion to the National Assembly, to debate on the revision of certain judicial laws. They want to see among other things, changes in the functioning and competency of the Court, with the aim that the role of the Justice Minister will have some kind of impact.

But many view the idea as an attempt by the lawmakers to interfere with the independence of the judiciary.

KINSHASA: USA, UK AND CANADA WARN AGAINST AMENDING JUDICIAL LAWS

Newly appointed Congolese magistrates taking their oath, photo by Joel Kalumba

The diplomatic missions of the United States, United Kingdom and Canada in the Democratic Republic of Congo, have weighed in on the controversy surrounding the move by some Congolese lawmakers to introduce judicial reforms.

In a joint statement, the ambassadors of the 3 countries warned that the proposed bill on the amendment of the judicial law, could weaken the independence of the judiciary, which is an important element for democracy and good governance.



They further argued that if such change occured, it could undermine the protection of civil and political rights in the country.

Earlier in the week, the National Assembly approved a submission by parliamentarians Aubin Minaku and Garry Sakata, to debate  the notion aimed at introducing judicial reforms. The members want to see changes in the law that determines the functioning, organisation and competency of the courts; they also want amendment to the law of the statute of the magistrates, and changes to the law determining the functioning of the Superior Council of the Magistrates.

The proposals have been greeted with violent protests in the capital Kinshasa, with opposition members accusing the lawmakers of trying to capture the Congolese judicial system and escape accountability.



Minaku and Sakata are members of the Common Front for Congo, a coalition movement that controls majority seats in the National Assembly. Many members of this coalition have been accused of corruption while serving under the previous regime; and now with the sentencing of Vital Kamerhe, Chief of Staff of President Felix Tshisekedi, on charges of corruption, pressure is mounting on the justice system to pursue others.

KINSHASA: GABRIEL KYUNGU FINALLY RECEIVES NOTIFICATION OF HIS APPOINTMENT

The former Governor of Katanga had been waiting for more than a year to take up his post as the Chairman of the Board of Directors for the state owned railway company, Société Nationale des Chemins de Fer du Congo (SNCC).
The confirmation of his appointment was finally signed by the Minister of Portfolio and State Companies Clement Kuete Bemuna, on Wednesday 24 June 2020.

Kyungu was appointed to the position on 29 May 2019, by President Felix Tshisekedi; however a refusal by then Minister of Portfolio Wivine Mumba Matipa to authorise his appointment, meant that he could not take up office.

 Gabriel Kyungu believed that there was a political motive behind the decision to block his appointment; according to him members of the previous regime of Joseph Kabila had looted billions of dollars from the state entity, and feared that once he was in charge he will expose the corruption that had been going on.
The latest notification from the Portfolio Minister, paves the way for Gabriel Kyungu to begin his new role as the Chairman of the Board of Directors for SNCC

FORMER CONGOLESE INTERNATIONAL EMEKA MAMALE DEAD

According to sources in Kinshasa the 42 year old former football player died on Thursday 25 June 2020, after being admitted at St Joseph Hospital in Limete.

Emeka Mamale will be remembered for being part of the famous Congolese football team that won 3rd place in one of the hotly contested African Cup of Nations, in 1998.
He made is debut in 1996, joining local  team Motema Pemba and later joined  South African football club Kaizer Chiefs.

Before his death, the former striker was busy doing a football training course with the Congolese Football Federation

TRESOR LUALUA APPOINTED GENERAL MANAGER OF CLUB OWNED BY CONTROVERSIAL PASTOR

Former Captain of the Congolese national football team, Tresor Lualua, has been appointed the General Manager of FC Renaissance du Congo; a local football team owned by controversial pastor Pascal Mukuna.

The pastor, known for his fierce critism of former President Joseph Kabila, is currently being held in Kinshasa's Central Makala Prison on charges of rape.

In a statement issued on the 22 June 2020, by the Assistant Secretary of the club Andre Tutonda, the appointment was confirmed and a congratulatory message was sent to Lualua

The 39 year old Tresor Lualua is a well respected and recognised international football star , who played for major  clubs such as Portsmouth and Newcastle United . He retired from football in 2013 and has since ventured into business. He also runs his own foundation , which assist orphans in his home town Kinshasa.

PRESIDENT FELIX TSHISEKEDI STRONGLY CONDEMNS THE VIOLENT PROTEST IN KINSHASA

In a statement the Congolese President said that, while he understands the frustration and the anger of the population, such feelings must be expressed within the rule of law.
He then called on all political class to avoid sending messages and making proposals that may cause provocation and divide the nation.

Protests erupted in the Congolese capital on Tuesday 23 June 2020; with properties belonging to senior politicians, including that of former Governor of Kinshasa Andre Kimbuta and former Speaker of the National Assembly Aubin Minaku, being vandalised .

The protest took place after news emerged that Aubin Minaku, who now serves as a Member of Parliament, had introduced a Bill that will see transformation within the judicial system. This could also lead to the Minister of Justice having some kind of power over the magistrates.

The protesters, most of whom are militants members of the Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS), have viewed such move as an attempt by members of the Common Front for Congo(FCC) to capture the justice system and escape accountability.

The Common Front for Congo is a coalition movement that controls majority seats in the Congolese Parliament and Senate; their members also hold most of the cabinet posts, including the Ministry of Justice.

Minaku and many of his colleagues within the FCC had served under the previous regime of Joseph Kabila, and are suspected of involving in the  massive looting of state resources.
With a new administration in charge, calls are growing for those who stole from the state in the time of Joseph Kabila, be arrested

CONGOLESE IMMIGRATION DEPORT RACIST BELGIUM NATIONALS

The 6 Belgium nationals, residing in Lubumbashi, were expelled after a petition was launched against them over their racist utterance.

The individuals are said to have made strong racist remarks against a Belgium mayor, of Congolese origin, who had publicly called on the Belgium authorities to apologise for their colonial crimes in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The deported nationals  are Alan Delcomenne, Nicolas Bonduelle, Alexis Delbar, Ermanno Prina Mello, Joe de Sousa, Mawson West

KINSHASA: HRW WARNS KAMERHE SENTENCING POLITICAL IF OTHERS ARE NOT ARRESTED

The Human Right Watch(HRW) division in the Democratic Republic of Congo have called for equal accountability for all senior officials and politicians suspected of corruption and embezzlement.

The organisation made the statement in reaction to the sentencing of Vital Kamehre , the Chief of Staff of President Felix Tshisekedi, to 20 years in prison on corruption charges


While HRW welcomed this outcome, they also want to see the same principle applied to others, irrespective of their political affiliation.


HRW seemed to be making reference  to members of the Common Front for Congo (FCC), who yield a lot of power due to their connection to former President Joseph Kabila. FCC also controls majority seats in Congolese Parliament and Senate.



It should be noted that certain FCC members are yet to face arrest despite judicial investigation being conducted against them; this includes Patient Sayiba Tambwe, the Director General of the government entity OGEFREM. He is suspected of misappropriating state funds.
Not so long ago the Minister of Justice Tunda Ya Kasenda, who is also an FCC member,  tried to interfere with the investigation against Tambwe but the move was prevented by the Attorney General of Cessation, who was recently appointed by Felix Tshisekedi.

There have also been public calls for former Minister of Finance Henri Yav and current Reserve Bank Governor Deogratias Mutombo (both FCC members), to be charged for corruption, since they had abide by Kamerhe's instructions to illegally pay USD57 million to Lebanese businessman Samih Jammal.

HRW claims that, should other politicians not be held accountable for their corrupt activities, then Vital Kamerhe's trial will go down in history as an act of settling political scores.

LUBUMBASHI: POLICE TO BEGIN INTENSIVE OPERATION TO END INSECURITY

According to the Deputy Police Commissioner of the Province of Haut-Katanga, General Louis-Segond Karawa, the operation will last for a month.

To begin with, all police personnel will be identified and confined to their area of deployment.

The police will then strengthen its intelligence service and create a unit that will specifically deal with identifying and tracking criminal elements, this will be done with the assistant of civil society and  community leaders.


Other security measures to be taken will include increasing checkpoints and arresting drivers without registered number plates.

The Deputy Police Commissioner also told reporters, they have increased interactions with communities, in an effort to establish trust between the security forces and the population.

He also called on the regional and local police Commanders to be on high alert with what is evolving in their area and exercise their responsibility with patriotism.

Insecurity has become the biggest challenge in the Province of Haut-Katanga; almost everyday the population are victimised by armed men, who will attack residential properties in the early hours of the mornings and get away with valuables. Several people have lost their lives during this encounter.

KINSHASA: USD 200000 SPENT IN 4 DAYS DISINFECTING PARLIAMENT AGAINST COVID19

The Congolese National Health Department spent USD200000 disinfecting the National Assembly, between April 13 and 16 2020.

 The revelation was made by Health Minister Eteni Longondo, when detailing how government disbursed the USD10,289 million allocated to combat the coronavirus pandemic.

The Minister was forced to offer clarity on the funds after the head of the Coronavirus Technical Secretariat Response Team, Dr Jean-Jacques Muyembe, told a radio broadcast that his team has so far only received USD1,4 million from the government, and staff members have gone for two months without pay.

According to the minister, USD1505 000 was paid to the Technical Secretariat of the Response Team, through its Ecobank bank account.

 USD1,3 million was given to three hospitals in Kinshasa, to handle coronavirus patients, these were Clinic Ngaliema, Kinshasa General Hospital and the University  Clinic.

USD500000 was distributed to the hospital of  Cinquantenaire, the country's biggest hospital, which is also dealing with the most infected patients.

USD900000 was disbursed to the Provinces of Haut-Katanga, North and South Kivu.

USD500000 was given to the provincial authorities in Kongo Central, which has the second largest confirm cases after Kinshasa.

USD3 150 000 was allocated to the 21 provinces that did not have infection cases yet.

USD439 479  was spent on repatriating Congolese citizens stranded abroad.

And USD1 295 000 was used by the Health Ministry to purchase medical necessities such as medicines and ambulance; and prepare various sites for  covid19 patients.

As of 23 June 2020, the Democratic Republic of Congo had 6026 confirmed cases of Covid19 , 861 recoveries and 135 deaths.

KINSHASA: WHY AUBIN MINAKU WANTS CHANGES IN THE JUSTICE SYSTEM

On Monday 22 June 2020, member of parliament and former Speaker of the National Assembly Aubin Minaku, issued further clarification on why he wants to see changes in the judicial system.
According to Minaku, the changes will define the type of authority the Minister of Justice will have on the court prosecutors; with the aim of seeing migistrates and lawyers be held accountable. Minaku was quoted as saying that he wants corrupt magistrates to be arrested.

 But opposition leaders and civil society have strongly come out against any move to transform the judiciary. They have accused Minaku of orchestrating an attempt by members of his coalition movement, the Common Front for Congo (FCC), to capture the justice system, by giving the Minister of Justice excessive powers.
 This according to them may interfere with the independence of the judiciary, which is guaranteed and clearly detailed in Article 149, 150 and 151 of the Constitution.

FCC, which had appointed former President Joseph Kabila as its moral authority, holds  majority seats in the National Assembly; and its member Tunda Ya Kasenda, is also the current Congolese Minister of Justice.

Recently there have been tension between Minister Kasenda and Attorney General of the Court of Cessation Victor Mumba Mukomo , after the minister demanded an observation in the judicial investigation against the Director General of the State Multimodal Freight Office, Sayiba Tambwe (who is also member of FCC). The Attorney General blocked the request as he viewed it as an attempt to interference in the work of the judiciary.

The proposal made by Minaku to transform the justice system includes :

Amending the law on the organisation, functioning and competency of the courts

Amending the law on the statute of the magistrates.

Amending the law on the functions of the Superior Council of the magistrates.

DRCONGO: INFLATION SLIGHTLY DROPS IN THE THIRD WEEK OF JUNE, BUT REMAINS HIGH COMPARE TO PREVIOUS MONTH

By the third week of June 2020, prices of various consumable goods in markets across the Democratic Republic of Congo slightly decreased, leading to an inflation drop of 0,52% in the Capital Kinshasa and 0,53% nationally. This when compared to the previous week.

However the results had an insignificant impact on the monthly inflation change, which currently stands at 8,6% in Kinshasa and 8,2% nationally. This is against the 6,1% recorded in Kinshasa and 5,6% nationally, in the month of May 2020.

Main reason attributed to the sharp rise in the prices of consumable goods has been the depreciation of the Congolese franc, which has lost almost 25% of its value.
In the beginning of 2020 the Congolese franc traded at 1650 to the US dollar, six months later the same dollar will cost you 1920 Congolese franc.
 Since the country relies heavily on imports, the restrictions on global trade due to the corronavirus pandemic, has increased the cost of access to foreign currency.

But government has taken some intervention measures to reduce the negative economic impact, such as supplying main staple goods on the market at fixed and affordable rates; forcing competitors to also reduce prices.

In the southern part the country, the provincial authorities in Haut-Katanga have given support to local farmers, which has boosted local productivity and reduced reliance of export.

MUSIC ICON TSHALA MUANA DISCHARGED FROM HOSPITAL AND RECOVERING AT HOME

Congolese music legend Tshala Muana returned home on Friday 19 June 2020, after spending more than two weeks in a clinic in Kinshasa.

Elizabeth Tshala Muana Muidikay, the singer's full name, had suffered a hypertensive crisis  before being admitted to the health facility, she's also known to be diabetic

Congo's National Football coach Florent Ibenge visiting Tshala Muana at home

Earlier on, rumours of her death had been circulating on social media, leading to well known celebrities paying her several visits at the clinic; among them were Seben Artist
Werrason Ngiama, Television Presenter Mamie Ilela and Culture Minister Jean-Marie Lukunji

The 62 year old Tshala Muana, affectionately known in her native Tshiluba language as mamou nationale (mother of the nation), rose to fame in the early 90's; after her seductive dance moves grabbed global attention and saw her touring countries around the world, mainly on the African continent.

KINSHASA: THESE ARE THE 7 PROPERTIES OF THE KAMERHE FAMILY TO BE CONFISCATED

During sentencing in the trial of the Chief of Staff of President Felix Tshisekedi, Mr Vital Kamerhe, the Judge ordered among other things that the properties belonging to Kamerhe's wife Amida Shatur, his nephew Daniel Massaro Nkingi Nshangulume and Amida Shatur's daughter Soraya Mpiana; be seized.

The properties are believed to have been bought with funds Kamerhe was found to have stolen from the state, through illegally awarding a US57 million housing contract to businessman Samih Jammal.

These are the properties to be targeted

Property under the name of Daniel Nshangulume, contract number 1348/2019AD 44988, located in Ngaliema.

Property under the name of Daniel Nshangulume, Registration Certificate AGL 547 Folio 171 AD5082, located in the Commune of Gombe.

Property under the name of Daniel Nshangulume, Registration certificate AGL 547 Folio 56 AD 5807, located in the Commune of Lingwala.

Property under the name of Amida Shatur Kamerhe, Registration Certificate NN 45 Folio 33AD 71860, located in the Commune of N'sele.

Property under the name of Daida Mpiana, RegistrationCertificate AKN 11 Folio 46 AD 193, located in the Municipality of Kasa-vubu.

Property AD44196 under a cession contract between Samih Jammal and Soraya Mpiana, located in Ngaliema.

Property under the name of Dieudonne Mayutu Namwisi, Registration Certificate A/ML 01 Folio 179 AD, located in the Municipality of Maluku.

VERDICT: VITAL KAMERHE SENTENCED TO 20 YEARS

The Appeal Court of Gombe in Kinshasa has sentenced Vital Kamerhe, Chief of Staff of President Felix Tshisekedi, to 20 years of forced labour for embezzling USD48 million.

In addition to that the court also slapped Kamerhe with a 10 year force labour sentence for diverting USD2 million, 2 years forced labour judgement for diverting another USD1,5 million and a 15 year prison sentence for corruption.
 Kamerhe will also be denied eligibility to hold public office and vote, for the next 10 years, after serving his sentences.
The court also ordered the seizure of Kamerhe's properties.

Meanwhile his co-accused Samih Jammal was given a 30 year sentence of forced labour, and a 15 year prison sentence on charges of corruption. Jammal, a Lebanese national, will also be required to leave the Congolese territory upon completing his sentences.

Another of Kamerhe's co-accused Jeannot Muhima, who was the head of import and export at the Presidency, was given a 2 year labour force sentencing.

The court then targeted members of Kamerhe's family; ordering the confiscations of money in the bank accounts and seizures of properties belonging to Amida Shatur (Kamerhe's wife), Amida's daughter Soraya Mpiana and Kemerhe's nephew Daniel Massaro Nkingi.

The verdict was handed over on the 20th of June 2020, in the presence of Kamerhe and Jammal.

According to the Judge President, there was overwhelming evidence pointing to the fact that Kamerhe had colluded with Jammal to misappropriate funds from the State .
 The Judge argued that Kamerhe had intentionally violated the Public Procurement Regulations to award the USD57 million contract to Samih Jammal's company; to top it all there was no proof indicating that the 3000 prefab houses  had been built as agreed on the contract.

Kamerhe and his co-accused had been standing trial for embezzling USD57 million meant to build prefab houses for the military and police personnel. The project  was part of President Felix Tshisekedi's 100 DAYS EMERGENCY PROGRAM.

After visiting various development sites to evaluate how his EMERGENCY PROGRAM was evolving, President Felix Tshisekedi was angered by the lack of progress and ordered a judicial investigation; this then led to his Chief of Staff being arrested and face charges.

DRCONGO: ABOUT 2600 COVID19 PATIENTS WAITING FOR CONFIRMATION OF THEIR RECOVERY

2607 coronavirus patients are waiting for confirmation of their recovery, this was the statement from the head of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)response team, Dr Jean-Jacques Muyembe. Speaking on talk show radio Top Congo FM, the Dr said that these were patients with mild symptoms and have been recovering from home. So far the DRC has recorded 807 recoveries from the 5477 confirm cases of the coronavirus.

Since the outbreak of the pandemic in the country the response capacity has been poor. Compare to global average, the number of testing done in Congo is still extremely low (an average of 600 per day), and it was only recently that government had installed testing labs in some Provinces. In the beginning of the outbreak patients across the vast country had to wait for results from the National Institute of Biomedical Research in Kinshasa, which could take up to two weeks.

Apart from the testing challenges, health workers dealing with the virus have often complained about not receiving their salaries for months and poor working conditions.

Earlier in June Nobel Peace Prize winner and gynaecologist, Dr Denis Mukwege, resigned as the Chief of the coronavirus response team in the South Kivu Province as result of lack of support and leadership from government.

President Felix Tshisekedi has since announced that government will abandon the military parade for the 30th of June Independence day celebration and use the budget allocation to pay bonuses to health officials combatting the virus.

CONGO EXPECTS TO LOSE 20% IN MINING REVENUE IN 2020

According to the Minister of Mines Willy Kitobo Samsoni, the Democratic Republic of Congo  expects a 20% drop in revenue collection from mineral activities, this is due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

The disease has forced some companies to delay development projects because of export restrictions. The global market has also seen a drop in commodities prices, which has affected the mineral sector, said the minister.

Congo's economy is still widely dependant on mining activities with the sector contributing about 36% to export revenue. In 2018 around  USD1.57 billion was paid to government by mining companies; the country is also Africa's biggest copper producer and the world's leading cobalt miner.

But most of Congo's minerals have been at the centre of the prolonged instability in the country, especially in the eastern parts; and the  mineral resources have mainly benefitted the political elite rather than ordinary citizens

KINSHASA: JANET KABILA DEPLORES POOR LIVING CONDITIONS OF SOLDIERS AND POLICE

Member of Parliament Janet Kabila, photo by Primature

The Chairperson for the parliamentary committee on defense and security, Ms Janet Kabila, has spoken out against the deplorable living conditions of Congo's military and police service.

Presenting a report on the state of the country's security forces, especially in relation to the conflict in the two Kivu Provinces and Ituri, Janet Kabila told parliament that the remuneration paid to soldiers and police was regrettable. She highlighted that an ordinary Congolese soldier earned a mere 171500fc (about 90usd) while a General went home with a monthly salary of 259167fc (around 136usd).

She then called on parliament's economic committee, which includes finance and budget, to ensure that the situation changes for the better.
Janet also wants to see members of the security forces enjoy other benefits such as free health care, family and rental allowance.

On top of the poor salaries, many Congolese security forces tend to go for months without receiving their pay check, this normally occurs as a result of top ranking officers diverting funds allocated for security personnel.
Earlier in the year soldiers fighting Islamists rebels in the east accused one of their Lieutenant, Colonel Edouard Ngoy, of misappropriating about USD100 000 meant for their bonus reward.

For years now the Congolese military has been trying to put an end to the activities of various local and foreign militia groups operating in the eastern parts of the country. However its efforts have often been hampered by the lack of
resources and support from the central government in Kinshasa.

PRESIDENT FELIX TSHISEKEDI LAUNCH A USD450MILLION PROGRAM TO COMBAT THE EFFECT OF CORONAVIRUS

The program will see government spending USD50 million in a period of 9 months on various sectors, to reduce the negative impact the coronavirus pandemic is having on the country.

The government also hopes to mobilise resources from the country's partners.

Some of the measures to be under taken will include improving the health care system, maintain macroeconomic stability and implement an economic recovery plan.

In March 2020 government had already outlined an emergency plan to respond to the presence of the virus. Among the immediate decisions that was taken at the time, was to place a tax exemption on all imported pharmaceutical products, release medical supplies being held by custom officials and place a three months suspension on rental tax charged on companies.

President Tshisekedi called on all stakeholders to rally behind the initiative and instructed Prime Minister Sylvester Ilunga Ilunkamba to insure that the plan is effectively implemented.

By 19 June 2020, the Democratic Republic of Congo had 5477 confirm cases of the coronavirus, 122 deaths and 719 recoveries.

KINSHASA: FAMILY OF JUDGE RAPHAEL REJECT THE MINISTER'S REPORT ON THE CAUSE OF HIS DEATH

The family of Judge Raphael Yanyi have rejected the report by Justice Minister Tunda Ya Kasenda, which revealed that the Judge died from hemorrhage (bleeding) after receiving a beating on the head. The report also said that a toxic substance was found in his body but that it was not lethal.

The family however refused to believe the outcome of the report arguing that it may have been tempered with, due to political pressure. According to them, Judge Yanyi could have not been physically assaulted as he was always accompanied by his driver. The family now wants international experts, independent from government, to conduct another autopsy.

An earlier report from the Attorney General in the Appeal Court of Gombe Kinshasa, had determined that the Judge died from poisoning, this after a substance was found in his body. The report however could not tell the nature of such substance.

Judge Raphael Yanyi rose to prominence after he was appointed the President Judge in the corruption trial of Vital Kamerhe, Chief of Staff of President Felix Tshisekedi; the trial had gained major public interest and was seen as an historical move, by Congo's justice system, to hold high profiled politicians accountable.

 The fact that the Judge died during the course of the trial raised suspicions of foul play, which  prompted authorities to expedite the performance of an autopsy.

Sentencing on the Kamerhe trial is due on the 20th of June 2020; the State has pleaded for a 20 year sentence for the accused.

BREAKING: CONSTITUTIONAL COURT REJECTS KABUND'S APPEAL FOR REINSTATEMENT

The Congolese Constitutional Court has rejected an appeal by Jean-Marc Kabund to have him reinstated as the First Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, arguing that his reasons were unfounded.

Kabund was dismissed from the position during a voting session on 25 May 2020, after a motion against him was brought forward by parliamentary Jean- Jacques Mamba.

He then called the outcome as unconstitutional and accused the Speaker of Parliament, Jeanine Mabunda, of not following internal procedures.

Last week Parliament tried to ignore Kabund's court application and went ahead to set the date for the election of a new 1st Deputy Speaker, but an intervention by the State Council and President Felix Tshisekedi forced Mabunda to call for a postponment, until a final decision from the Consititutional Court.

Kubund's Court loss paves the way for Patricia Nseya to become the next First Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, as she is the sole candidate contesting the position. Both Kabund and Nseya are members of the Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS), of which President Tshisekedi is the leader.

TANGANYIKA: INTELLIGENT AGENT GOES ON TRIAL FOR TORTURE

A member of the Congolese national intelligence agency, Agence Nationale de Renseignements (ANR), has been put on trial to answer to charges of torture. The officer is said to have lashed civilian Ghislain Kibwe, 40 times on the buttocks.

It's alleged that Mr Kibwe had received a call to report to the office of the intelligence officer; upon his arrival he was accused of exchanging counterfeit American dollars to one of the informal trade dealer. He was then interogated for several hours before the act of  violence was carried out on him, all this to make him confess to the accusation levelled against him.

The incident had angered local civil society, who accused the newly deployed intelligence officials in the region for instilling terror among the population, they have since called for the intelligence officer to be immidiately  relieved from duty.

Speaking to the media, the head of ANR in the region, Serge Bwana Senga, condemned the incident and asked the court to impose the toughest penality. He further emphasised that he can never authorise such behavior under his watch.

 In the last couple of months security in the Province of Tanganyika has been beefed up after the incursion of Zambian troops in the bordering villages.

CONGOLESE PASSPORTS: SEMLEX GIVEN 10 DAYS TO TRANSFER ASSETS TO GOVERNMENT

Congelese passport, photo by Udpsonline

Belgium based company Semlex has been given 10 days, starting from 18 June 2020, to hand over infrastructure for the manufacturing of Congolese biometric passports to the Kinshasa government, including technical data.

The request was made by Foreign Affairs Minister Marie Ntumba Nzeza, after the government decided not to renew its contract with the company, which came to an end on 11 June 2020.

After the completion of the transfer process, an offer will be made to interested companies to supply various  materials such as booklets and forms, for the production of the passports. Companies will also be hired to provide technical expertise and help maintain and upgrade the infrastructure.
According to the minister these companies will be locally sourced, enabling government to supply passports to Congolese citizens at a lower price.

The minister also added that passports will not be issued to the public during the 10 days period Semlex will be handing over assets to the Congolese government.

A new project manager has since been appointed to oversee the entire transition process, from the transfer of equipment by Semlex to the selection of new companies that will provide services in the manufacturing of the biometric passports.

FRENCH AUTHORITIES ASKED TO IDENTIFY 3 PROPERTIES OWNED BY THE KAMERHES

The state prosecutor at the Appeal Court of Gombe in Kinshasa has written to the French authorities to assist in identifying and confirm 3 properties believed to be owned by Vital Kamerhe , the Chief of Staff of President Felix Tshisekedi, and his wife Amida Shatur.

According to court papers the properties are located in the French cities of Maule, Poissy and Orgeval.

During Kamerhe's trial hearing the state lawyer, Coco Kayudi , had revealed that one of the properties was a 3 storey hotel and that more than 1 million euro was paid to French interior design company, Betrand Prestige, to renovate it. The money is said to have come from a joint account owned by both Kamerhe and his wife Amida Shatur, which had 10 million euro in it, the state lawyer added.

Vital Kamerhe has been standing trial for allegedly embezzling USD57 million from the state, through awarding a fictitious housing contract to Lebanese businessman Samih Jammal. During the trial his wife was called to testify and explain the deposit of millions in her bank account in a short period of time. Amida responded by saying that the money was part of the wedding gifts she had received.

Judgement on the trial is expected to be delivered on the 20th of June 2020. The state is asking for Kamerhe to receive a 20 year prison sentence and some properties belonging to his wife be seized.

KINSHASA: PRESIDENCY ALREADY SPENT ALMOST 70% OF BUDGET ALLOCATED FOR STAFF SALARIES

DRCONGO: THE FINANCIAL DIRECTOR FOR THE CIVIL HOUSE OF THE HEAD OF STATE ARRESTED FOR CORRUPTION

(Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi, photo by US State Department) 

Celestin Mwambi, who was recently appointed the Financial Director for the Civil House of President Felix Tshisekedi, has been arrested for allegedly embezzling USD2 million. This was revealed by the Public Prosecutor at the Appeal Court of Gombe, on Monday 15 June 2020.

According to the Prosecutor, Mr Mwambi is being detained at Kinshasa's Central Makala Prison as temporary measure, while his file is being finalised.

Last month Mwambi had claimed he was a victim of conspiracy from people who wanted to tarnish his image; he made the comment after rumors began circulating that he had used money meant to pay the salaries for employees working at the  Civil House of the Head of State to buy land worth USD25 million.

But Mwambi denied these claims and said he bought the land in 2016 for USD 40000 while working along side Bishop Gerard Mulumba, who was his predecessor. The Bishop died on April 15 2020  year from coronavirus

DRCONGO: PRESIDENCY ALREADY SPENT ALMOST 70% OF ITS BUDGET ALLOCATION FOR 2020

(Congelese President Felix Tshisekedi, photo by US State department)

According to the Ministry of Budget, the Democratic Republic of Congo has already spent almost 70% of the budget it had allocated for salaries of staff members working in the Presidency, for the year 2020.

Government had set aside USD54,9 million as part of the remuneration cost for the office of the Head of State, however by the end of May 2020 about USD37 million had already been used. This is USD14 million more than what was initially planned to be disbursed for the same period

One of the main reasons given for the amount escalation was that the Presidency had  hired an additional 294 staff members, after the budget was allocated. According to the Directorate of Budget Policy and Programmes in the Ministry of Budget, this forced government to spend an additional amount of around USD700 000 per month, on the new staff alone.

The other reason was the exchange rate volitality which had seen the Congolese Franc depreciating significantly against the United State Dollar . The Congolese government continues to rely on the American currency when formulating budgets for various instutions.

Before the appointment of the 294 agents, the Office of the President had 6758 employees spread across 22 instutions, all reporting to the Head of State.

Lately there have been calls on government to reduce the lifestyle costs of senior civil servantst, however this seems to have fallen on deaf ears.
Last week the Speaker of the National Assembly, Jeanine Mabunda, had written to the Prime Minister to consider an increase of USD2000 on the salaries of each member of Parliament .

KINSHASA: MONEY FOR INDEPENDENCE DAY CELEBRATION TO BE PAID TO MEDICAL STAFF FIGHTING CORONAVIRUS

VITAL KAMERHE: AMIDA SHATUR AND HER INCREDIBLE WEDDING GIFTS

LUBUMBASHI: SEVERAL PEOPLE SHOT DEAD DURING ARM ROBBERIES

It was yet another deadly night in Congo's second largest city Lubumbashi, after armed robbers targeted various neighbourhood in the early hours of Sunday morning, 14 June 2020.

According to sources, seven people, including four civilians, were killed after shoot outs between armed men and the police .

The first incident was reported in the affluent suburb of Golf Plateau where police patrolling the area chased after criminals who had just broken into  several houses and got away with valuables. After a gun battle 3 robbers managed to get killed and others wounded.

Another incident occurred in the suburb of Gecamine where 4 civilians, who formed part of the community patrol, were unfortunately killed by criminals.

Violent crime has become almost a daily occurrence in the Province of Haut-Katanga, particular the provincial capital Lubumbashi. Criminals have been on the rampage, going from house to house where they will terrorise occupants and steal their belongings.

It's believed that many of  these criminal elements are members of the security force, including the police and military.

Earlier this year President Felix Tshisekedi had ordered the removal of more than 400 unassigned police and soldiers from the Province in an attempt to deal with the security situation, however this seems to have had a little impact.

HAUT-KATANGA: GOVERNOR KYABULA LAUNCH NEW MAIZE HECTARES TO IMPROVE FOOD SECURITY

The 20000 hectares farm, launched in Mangombo, 100 km from the provincial capital Lubumbashi, will see 75000 tonnes of maize harvested before the end of 2020; says Governor Jacque Kyabula Katwe. This will then lead to the harvesting of 250000 tonnes of maize every year and boost food security.

Last year Governor Kyabula made local production of maize one of his main priority after the price of maize meal skyrocketed by almost 400%.
The province of Haut-Katanga, especially the city of Lubumbashi, is heavily dependant on imported maize from neighbouring Zambia; however due to prolonged dry weather season and poor harvest, Zambia's own market had hit a shortfall and there was not enough maize to export.
The situation saw the price of 25kg bag of maize meal in Lubumbashi, climb from 18000fc to 100000fc.

But after various interventions by the provincial authorities, the same kg dropped to around 20000fc.
One of the measures that was taken was to assist local farmers improve local production.

During the launch the Governor also reiterated his goal of seeing the province becoming less dependant on imports from Zambia and South Africa

KINSHASA: MONEY FOR INDEPENDENCE DAY CELEBRATION TO GO TO STAFF FIGHTING COVID19

The Conglese government will use the budget allocation for the celebration of 60th anniversary of independence to reward bonuses to medical staff fighting the coronavirus pandemic. The decision was taken on the 12 of June 2020, during the 35th session virtual meeting of the Council of Ministers , presided by President Felix Tshisekedi. Also to benefit are the police and military personnel.

In the past weeks local health officials, treating coronavirus patients, have complained about not having received their salaries for months and working under poor conditions. Some civil society organisation, including the youth movement LUCHA, wants the state to reduce expenditure on senior government officials, including ministers, so that  money goes towards fighting the virus.

The lastest figures for cases of coronavirus in the Democratic Republic of Congo stands at 4724, with 106 deaths.

Earlier in the week Noble Peace Prize winner, Dr Denis Mukwege, resigned as the head of the recovery team in the South Kivu region, citing poor management of the pandemic

KINSHASA: SPEAKER PUSH FOR ABOVE USD9000 SALARY FOR PARLIAMENTARIANS

The Speaker of the National Assembly in the Democratic Republic of Congo ( DRC), Jeanine Mabunda, has written to the office of the Prime Minister asking for an increament of USD2000 for each member of Parliament.

Currently Congolese parliamentarians earn a monthly salary of just above USD7000, and should her wish be granted the figure will go up by more than USD9000.

The speaker also wants Parliament's working budget to increase by nearly 50%, from an annual USD115 million to USD215 million.

The request comes as a surprise since there have been calls to reduce the cost of lifestyle maintenance for politicians and senior government officials; especially in light of the country's economic hardship.

However, rumors has it that the Speaker made this demand after government had tripled the salary of President Felix Tshisekedi. It's not yet known how much the President earns, despite an earlier promise by Felix Tshisekedi to make this information public.
But according to data from the Ministry of Budget, expenditure within the President's office had doubled over the past year, up from about USD35,527 million in 2019 to nearly USD67,752 million in 2020

NO PROOF OF KAMERHE STEALING MONEY, BUT HE ILLEGALLY AUTHORISED PAYMENT

While the lawyer representing the Congolese government has conceded that there is no sufficient evidence to prove Vital Kamerhe embezzled money from the national treasury; there is however proof that he did not follow public procurement regulations when authorising the payment of USD57 million to Samih Jammal's company Samibo.

Vital Kamerhe, the Chief of Staff of President Felix Tshisekedi, is currently standing trial on charges of corruption and money laundering. With him is his co-accused Samih Jammal, who was awarded a government contract to build 1500 prefab houses for the police and military.

During his testimony former Finance Minister Henri Yav Mulang, told the court that he was acting on the instructions of Kamerhe, when he decided to disburse the amount of USD57 million to Jammal's company. A statement Kamerhe did not deny.

However, according to Congo's procurement rules, this payment should have not been made because the contract relating to it was never approved by the Director General of Public Procurement Control (DGCMP).

Michel Ngongo Salamu, the Director General of Public Procurement Control had testify that he could not approve the contract signed between the Congolese government and Samih Jammal on the bases that it did not meet the necessary requirements; he further argued that the contract was modified by 225% when the law only allows for 15%.

The State wants Kamerhe to receive a 20 year sentence, and USD 47 million to be returned to government coffers. Judgement is reserved for 20 June 2020

KINSHASA: PARLIAMENT CANNOT REPLACE JEAN -MARC KABUND YET

The Council of State has ruled that the Congolese Parliament cannot proceed with the election of a new First Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly until a decision has been made by the Constitutional Court.

This comes after the outgoing First Deputy Speaker Jean-Marc Kabund approached the Council to prevent Parliament from going ahead with finding his replacement.
Kubund had argued that his dismissal as Deputy Speaker, during a voting process, was illegal because the Speaker of the National Assembly Jeanine Mabunda, did not follow internal procedures. Kabund wants the Constitutional Court to overturn his dismissal and that he be reinstated.

Lawyers representing Kabund have also asked for the return of benefits their client enjoyed in his capacity as the Deputy Speaker of Parliament, including vehicles and other related properties.

Parliament had already set the 12th of June 2020 as the date for the election of a new First Deputy Speaker, with Patricia Nseya from Kabund's own political party, being the sole candidate.

CONGO: FORMER COMMUNICATION MINISTER AND KABILA STRONG ALLY , LEMBERT MENDE APPOINTED BY PRESIDENT FELIX TSHISEKEDI

Outspoken and former Congolese Communication Minister Lambert Mende, has been appointed Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Congolese Maritime, by President Felix Tshisekedi.

The appointment comes as a surprise given Mende's influential role in the Common Front for Congo, a coalition group which is seen as a threat to Felix Tshisekedi's leadership.

Mende became very unpopular during his time as communication minister, for defending the brutal regime of Joseph Kabila; and many Congolese would have hoped that with Kabila out of power, Mende will also disappear from the Presidential circle.

The appointment of Lambert Mende forms part of the major changes President Tshisekedi is introducing within the leadership of Public Enterprises.
Other new appointees includes former Transport Minister Jose Makila, who has been named the Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Ports and Transports entity (SCPT)

THE USD57 MILLION: HOW KAMERHE TRIED TO FRAME BITAKWIRA

Throughout his testimony Vital Kamerhe has referred to a contract signed by former Minister of Rural Development Justin Bitakwira to justify the payment of USD57 million to Samih Jammal.

Indeed a contract agreement was signed in 2018 between Bitakwira and Jammal, for the construction of 900 prefab houses in various Provinces accross the Democratic Republic of Congo; it was also agreed that Jammal's company Samibo (which was going to construct the houses) would be paid USD 26 million for the project.
However this payment was never made and the work could not be done.
Jammal however continued to make arrangements to get hold of the money.

His luck then came about when Vital Kamerhe was appointed Chief of Staff of President Felix Tshisekedi, after the December 2018 General Elections.

Samih Jammal managed to strike a deal with the new Chief of Staff for the contract to be revived. Not only did Kamerhe agree to approve the contract, he also modified it by increasing the value of the project to USD57 million. It was also agreed that 1500 housing units would be built as opposed to the initial 900.

But the new contract was never submitted to the Director General of Public Procurement, for review and authorisation; as required by the law. Kamerhe rather used his influence and position as Chief of Staff to force the minister of finance to disburse the amount of USD57 million to Mr Jammal.
 This amount instead of being paid into the account of Jammal's company Samibo (under which the contract was signed), it was deposited into an unknown  account at Rawbank. According to the banking details the entire amount was soon withdrawn.

So far Kamerhe has failed to prove that the contract signed between the Congolese government and Samibo for the construction of 1500 prefab housing units, at a cost of USD57 million, was signed by Justin Bitakwira. Kamerhe will also need to justify why he ordered the disbursement of such amount without the contract being authorised by the Public Procurement Regulatory body. These are the main key points which would prove his innocence.

CONFUSION WITHIN UDPS, AS KUBUND FIGHTS FOR HIS POST IN PARLIAMENT

Outgoing First Deputy Speaker of Parliament and interim leader of the Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS) ,Jean-Marc Kabund, has written to the President of the State Council to block the process of electing his replacement.

According to Kabund's lawyers such process is illegal and violates the rights of their client.

Kabund wants the case against his dismissal as the Deputy Speaker, during a voting session, first be heard at the Constitutional Court before Parliament can go ahead and elect another member for his post.

He has also demanded the benefits and allowance he enjoyed in his capacity as the Deputy Speaker be returned to him, including the cars and other related properties.

Meanwhile Kabund's own party UDPS, has nominated a candidate by the name of Patricia Nseya, to contest the position of the First Deputy Speaker of Parliament. It's believed that Ms Nseya was chosen by President Felix Tshisekedi; and she's the only candidate running for the position.

The nomination of Patricia Nseya and her approval by President Felix Tshisekedi, who is the traditional leader of UDPS, seems to suggest that there are factions within the organisation, as the move counters efforts by Kabund to remain in his position.
But the Secretary General of the party Augustin Kabuya has denied this, saying that Kabund's actions are lawful and he has the support of the organisation.

The election of the First Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly of the Democratic Republic of Congo, is scheduled for the 12th of June 2020.