In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), for the past three days, armed soldiers have been present on Moïse Katumbi’s farm, located on the outskirts of Lubumbashi, in the south of the country. According to his associates, these soldiers have not provided any legal document justifying their presence. No acts of violence have been reported, but Katumbi’s party, Ensemble pour la République, openly speaks of an act of political intimidation. The opponent, who has been out of the country for over six months, manages agricultural and livestock activities on the farm, which also hosts a football training school connected to the famous Mazembe club.
Hervé Diakiese, the party’s spokesperson, denounces the action as an arbitrary invasion by “individuals without title or right.” According to Diakiese, this episode is linked to Katumbi’s refusal to join the national unity government project promoted by the President of the Republic to address the crisis in the east of the country. Instead, Katumbi has reportedly chosen to support the peace initiative proposed by the National Episcopal Conference of Congo (Cenco) and the Church of Christ in Congo (ECC), the country’s main religious institutions. The government is accused of using pressure and intimidation against those who refuse to align themselves with it.
