AMERICAN RIGHTS GROUP CLAIMS CONGOLESE DOCTOR AND NOBEL LAUREATE, DENIS MUKWEGE, SUBJECTED TO THREATS BY SENIOR RWANDAN OFFICIAL

 

Physicians for Human Right, an American led rights organisation, has denounced a recent comment made by former Rwandan Defense Minister James Kabarebe on Congolese doctor and Nobel Laureate Denis Mukwege , labelling it as a threat made on the doctor's life.

Kabarebe was quoted on a Rwandan television channel saying that, Dr Mukwege was being used by some organisations to run a propoganda on the deaths of six million Congolese people when evidence of such atrocities did not exist.

The comment was made at a time when the doctor had raised serious concerns surrounding his safety and that of his family. Since July 2020, the doctor has been receiving death threats messages from anonymous sources, and there have been online campaigns to discredit his name.

According to  Dr Mukwege threats to his life began after he once again called for the re-mapping of the United Nations report, which recognised the war and atrocities that took place in the Democratic Republic of Congo between 1993 and 2003, and asked for investigation and prosecutions of the perpetrators of the violence. 

There have been countless reports, including that from the United Nations' panel of experts, accussing Rwanda of having played a major role in fuelling the long standing conflict in the eastern parts of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

James Kabarebe, as a senior Rwandan army officer, is said to have commanded various military offensives in Congo and ordered the massacre of innocent civilians.

The American human rights organisation has called on the United Nations mission in Congo to guarantee the protection of the doctor.

ZAMBIAN TROOPS CONTINUE TO OCCUPY CONGOLESE TERRITORY DESPITE SADC RULING

 

According to authorities in the Congolese province of Tanganyika, the Zambian army continues to occupy the locality of Kapanga in the territory of Moba. 

An earlier agreement from the Southern African Development Community (SADC) had recommended that Zambia withdraw its troops from the occupied Congolese territories in Tanganyika and Haut-Katanga, this after the Congolese government had sought the assistant of SADC to mediate in the border conflict between the two neighbours.

After the SADC decision was made some Congolese soldiers tried retake the occupied territories but were held captive by the Zambian army. 

 On Friday 14 August 2020, the Congolese delegation pulled out from the work of Zambia-DRC Defense and Security Committee, voicing dissatisfaction with the final report tabled by the group of experts.

The Congolese team wanted the report to acknowledge that Zambia violated the border demarcation  in Kibanga and Kalubamba, and its troops continues to occupy the Congolese locality of Kapanga.

In May 2020,  gun battle erupted between the Zambian and Congolese army in Kalubamba with each side recording a single fatality. 

 

DRCONGO: HEALTH MINISTER ASKED TO JUSTIFY HOW NEARLY USD4 MILLION CORONAVIRUS FUND HAD BEEN SPENT

 

Congolese Health Minister Eteni Longondo has been asked to explained how his department spent almost USD4 million released by the central government, as part of the emergency funds to fight the coronavirus pandemic. 

The request was made by the Minister of Finance Sele Yalaghuli , after his colleague failed to submit  documents providing details of how he used the money allocated to him, to deal with the pandemic. According to the Finance Minister, part of the requirements when  emergency funds are disbursed is for the receiving department to account for such funds by providing details on how it was used. 

For months allegations of corruption and mismanagement have been directed at Health Minister Eteni Longondo. He has been accused of  colluding with other senior government officials and establishing structures in which they can personally benefit from the pandemic funds. 

 Earlier on, Longondo's own deputy, Albert Mpeti, had publicly denounce the minister's actions of signing off disbursements of large sum of money without his input or involvement. 

The country's coronavirus recovery team, led by doctor Jeans- Jacques Muyembe, have also previously complained about lack of funding, with health workers going on for months without receiving their pay check. This despite funds having been allocated.

But it seems the government is ready to get to the bottom of the matter. Under the instruction of President Felix Tshisekedi, the Inspector General for Finance has launched a full investigation into the handling of the coronavirus funds. According to the Inspector General Jules Alingete, his initial report has already found evidence of gross mismanagement, and some files have been handed over to the prosecuting authorities. 

In June 2020 , the Congolese government had made available USD27 million, through different entities and departments, to fight the coronavirus pandemic.

DRCONGO: NEW FINANCE INSPECTOR GENERAL PROMISE TO ACT TOUGH ON CORRUPTION

The new Finance Inspector General Jules Alingeta, who took office on Tuesday 07 2020, made a commitment to accompany the Head of State in fulfilling his vision of establishing good governance and the rule of law.

 Alingeta told the media that under his leadership he intends to restore the integrity of the Finance Inspector Directorate, and will not compromise when it comes to dealing with corruption. As a matter of urgency an effective internal control system will be established to ensure that compliance with function procedures.
The Finance Inspector General branded his institution a specialised elite unit, whose 33 years experience couldn't be more crucial at a time when the Democratic Republic of Congo has a President who is genuinely committed to establishing the rule of law.

The  Finance Inspector General plans to introduce reforms in the administration and organisation of the public institution, which had been based on the rules formulated in 1987.
The public institution will also hire about 120 new finance inspectors  so that it can improve the performance of its mandate. According to Jules Alingeta the last finance inspectors were hired in 1991.

The Finance Inspector Directorate was established to monitor and control the financial operation of the state, both in expenditure and revenue collections

CONGOLESE NATIONALS BANNED FROM ENTERING THE EU SCHENGEN AREA

 This was the statement from European Union ambassador to the country, Jean-Marc Chataignier.
 According to the Ambassador the decision was taken by the European Union Council, and had been based on health reasons, related to the coronavirus outbreak. The Council took into consideration among other things, the number of covid19  infections and the availability of reliable information regarding the number of tests conducted.

 The ban only applied to non essential travellers, and will continually be updated.

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) joins countries such as United States and Brazil whose citizens are prohibited from accessing the Schengen territory.

As of July 7 2020, the DRC had 7660 confirmed cases of coronavirus, 3236 recoveries and 182 deaths. The country's health minister Eteni Longondo, has been criticised for poorly managing the response led efforts, with allegations of embezzlement of the coronavirus funds directed at his department.

DRCONGO: EX REBEL MOVEMENTS THREATEN TO TAKE UP ARMS AFTER SPENDING MONTHS WITHOUT ANY FORM OF ASSISTANCE.

The rebel movements, which have surrendered about a 1000 of its fighters and hundreds of ammunition to the Congolese military, told President Felix Tshisekedi to address their concerns otherwise they will have no choice but to return to the bush.

The two rebel group, AFRC and UPDC, use to operate in the territory of Masisi and Rutshuru, in the North Kivu Province. They had heeded the call by Tshisekedi for all rebel movements to lay down their weapons since a new government was now in charge.
However six months  later after accepting the call, the rebels now find  themselves in a state of despair and without any form of assistance from government. They claimed that the demobilisation process has failed, which lives an appetite to take up arms.

The rebels' grievances is nothing unusual as corruption and financial mismanagement within the Congolese defense force remains rampant. Often top Generals are accused of misappropriating funds disbursed by the central government to implement military programmes, such as that of demobilisation, and pay soldiers' salaries. According to experts, this is one of the main reasons the Congolese government has failed to end the violence in the eastern parts of the country.

DRCONGO HEALTH MINISTER ACCUSED OF SELF ENRICHMENT AMIDST PROTEST BY COVID19 MEDICAL STAFF

A written Parliamentary question was sent to the Congolese Heath Minister, Eteni Longondo , to answer to allegations that he has acquired material goods worth a value that exceeds his income, this after being appointed as a minister.

 The question was tabled after health workers handling the coronavirus pandemic went on strike, demanding their three months salary, which was in arrears.

The minister is also expected to explain the  financial mismanagement in his department, and the introduction of a kickback policy in the management of the coronavirus funds.

 Minister Longondo is yet to provide a full response to the questions, however he spoke on the sideline with regards to the non payment of the Covid19 staff.
 According to him, the delay in the payment is as a result of him not receiving the list of the medical staff. He had asked the Technical Secretariat of the coronavirus response team, about two months ago, to submit a list with the names of medical staff  working in the team, but only received it recently.

The Minister has assured the staff that the Office of the Prime Minister is handling the matter, and they should be receiving their money very soon.

As of 6th July 2020, the Democratic Republic of Congo had 7432 confirm cases of coronavirus and 182 deaths