Goma, DR Congo | AFP | A soldier and 12 militants were killed Saturday in clashes in DR Congo’s restive eastern North-Kivu province, the army said. “Twelve Mai-Mai and an officer from the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo died in fighting that last nearly all of …
Read More »DR Congo’s tainted ex-police chief Numbi made national hero
Kinshasa, DR Congo | AFP | Democratic Republic of Congo’s former police chief John Numbi, believed by regime critics to be prime suspect in the murder of a key rights activist, has been made a national hero. Numbi, who holds the rank of general, is one of eight senior police …
Read More »African park ranger hits out at Hong Kong ivory trade
Hong Kong, China | AFP | A frontline park ranger from the Democratic Republic of Congo on Tuesday delivered an emotive testimony to legislators against the ivory trade in Hong Kong, as the city faces criticism over how it plans to phase out the trade. The southern Chinese city, a …
Read More »Two men go on trial in DR Congo for UN experts’ murders
Kinshasa, DR Congo | AFP | A man and a teenager went on trial in a military court in Democratic Republic of Congo on Monday, accused of killing two UN experts in March, their lawyer said. Evariste Ilunga, a 16-year-old student, and Mbayi Kabasele, 30, who sells palm oil, are …
Read More »Lucha continua: The youth movement striking fear into Congo’s elite
Lucha pushes for reform all the way up to the presidency, but it most actively engages at the community level. Its local activities generally take the form of popular education or protests…BY RUBY BANTARIZA, TIM HIRSCHEL-BURNS & SOPHIA SCHUSTER Kinshasa, DRC | AFRICAN ARGUMENTS | Five years ago in the …
Read More »KABILA: I did not promise to hold elections this year
Kabila says he never ‘promised’ to hold elections in DR Congo Berlin, Germany | AFP | Congolese President Joseph Kabila on Saturday said he had never “promised anything” about whether to hold elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo, seeming to back away from a deal to hold a vote …
Read More »Nguesso breaks ground on $58 million China-funded Congo parliament building
Brazzaville, Congo | AFP | Congo broke ground on a new Chinese-funded parliament building in the capital Brazzaville on Monday estimated at over 52 million euros ($58 million). The investment from China’s government was criticised by opposition groups which pointed out that Congo is in the midst of an economic …
Read More »Congo Come Back! Why we’re building a new political movement in DRC
Kinshasa, DRC | AFRICAN ARGUMENTS| History tells us that summer months are often eventful in Congolese politics. It was on 30 June 1960 that the country gained independence from Belgium. On that day, Belgium’s King Baudouin declared: “the Congo constitutes the culmination of the work conceived by the genius of …
Read More »Nearly 70 prisoners flee in second DR Congo jail break
Kinshasa, DR Congo | AFP | Dozens of prisoners escaped from a jail in Democratic Republic of Congo early Friday, less than 48 hours after rebels attacked Kinshasa’s main prison, freeing their leader and 50 others. “Among the 74 prisoners housed in the dilapidated prison in Kasangulu, 68 escaped,” local …
Read More »British-Norwegian ex-soldier linked to Ugandan security firm, freed from DRC jail
Oslo, Norway | AFP | A British-Norwegian dual citizen who was serving a life sentence for murder and espionage in a Congolose prison was released and returned to Norway on Wednesday, authorities said. Joshua French, 35, was sentenced to life in prison in 2013 for the murder of his cellmate …
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