DRC police quell protest in Kinshasa

Police in the Democratic Republic of Congo prevented a forbidden march in Kinshasa on Friday.

They kept a close watch on its instigator, opponent and former presidential candidate Martin Fayulu.

The latter denounced the massacres in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

"They took the money from me, they hurt me. I wasn't even in the march. Do you see how hurt I am?

One person was slightly injured in the head by police officers who dispersed the gathering by firing tear gas.

“They took the money from me, they hurt me. I wasn’t even in the march. Do you see how hurt I am? Do you see how hurt I am? I wasn’t even in the march”, an injured student, Jean-Paul said in tears.

“We’re here for a cause. The cause is balkanization. On the administrative level the DRC is already balkanized, it’s just the realization on the ground. We can’t imagine how we can slit people’s throats”, Fayulu supporter, Blaise Benazo said.

The police escorted Fayulu’s vehicle on foot, taking him home and preventing him from walking with his supporters after a morning mass in the popular district of Ndjili.

Fayulu claimed victory in the presidential election of December 2018.

He had called the march to denounce the massacres of civilians in Beni and the alleged “balkanization” of the eastern DRC, which he said would benefit neighbouring countries, starting with Rwanda.

AFP