DRC opposition supporters clash with police after one killed

An opposition supporter was killed on Tuesday by a soldier in the Democratic Republic of Congo sparking clashes with the police.

“My colleague Guy Mpiana was killed by a soldier of the army because he was wearing a t-shirt bearing the image of President Tshisekedi,” Justin Kabongo, an activist of the UDPS (Union for democracy and social progress) told AFP.

This was confirmed by the spokesman of the party, Bruno Tshibala.

The head of the Kinshasa police, General Celestin Kanyama, said that “a soldier had shot a motorcyclist but according to police spokesperson Colonel Ezekiel Mwanamputu, “the thirty-year-old biker was dressed in clothes bearing the image of the UDPS logo and Tshisekedi to politicize the incident.”

There were incidents of violence after the attack between UDPS supporters and security forces.

“UDPS activists recovered the body of the killed motorcyclist killed and threw stones at passersby, burning tires (and) they also burned a bus,” the Chief of the Kinshasa police added.

The UDPS resisted when the police intervened to restore order, but “calm has been restored since 6:00 p.m. (1700 GMT),” the colonel also assured.

Tensions have been high in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) with the opposition accusing incumbent president Joseph Kabila who has been in power since 2001 of trying to extend his rule in spite of constitutional provisions which limit him to two terms.

The country’s Constitutional Court in May ruled that Kabila could remain in office beyond the end of his mandate if elections are not held as scheduled.

The DRC’s opposition parties last month at a meeting in Belgium formed a new alliance, “Rassemblement” (Rally) with the aim of ensuring that Joseph Kabila leaves office at the end of this year.