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.
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