Thousands of protesters in the Democratic Republic of Congo capital Kinshasa have called for the removal of Ronsard Malonda as chairman of electoral commission CENI.
The protesters took to the streets on Monday July 13, 2020, to ventilate their opposition to the National Assembly’s appointment.
Protesters gathered in Boulevard Lumumba, one of the city’s main avenues. They marched around a vehicle carrying former rebel leader and opposition chief Jean-Pierre Bemba.
While a team of policemen dispersed the gathering with tear gas, some men in civilian clothes threw stones at the demonstrators.
Some of the protesters were reportedly badly hurt falling from vehicles escorting Bemba.
The Monday demonstration was held four days after five people were killed in banned demonstrations against the choice of a new election chief.
It was triggered by a decision by the National Assembly – dominated by supporters of former president Joseph Kabila – to appoint Ronsard Malonda as chairman of the independent national electoral commission, CENI.
Pro-democracy campaigners disclosed that Malonda, currently CENI’s secretary-general, played a historic role in rigging elections in favour of Kabila, who was succeeded in January last year by Felix Tshisekedi, son of a historic opposition leader.
