Congolese authorities ban rallies in Kinshasa due to tensions



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Authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo have banned political rallies this week in the capital Kinshasa because of tensions between supporters of President Felix Tshisekedi and those of former leader Joseph Kabila, police said Sunday.

Tshisekedi was elected in December to replace Kabila, president of the largest country in sub-Saharan Africa for nearly two decades.

Tensions increased in the capital after the youth wing of Tshisekedi's Party for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS) announced its intention to protest against the candidacy of a former justice minister for the presidency of the Senate .

In response, the pro-Kabila Red Berets movement said it would hold a counter-demonstration to support the candidacy of Alexis Thambwe, considered by many to be a tough-hearted Kabila regime.

Kinshasa police chief, General Sylvano Kasongo, told state television that, given tensions in the capital, the governor of Kinshasa had banned all political rallies this week.

"He has asked the police to take all appropriate measures and anyone who tries to walk or disturb public order this week will find the police on their way," he said.

Son Mukoko, spokesman for the youth wing of the UDPS, told the press that he wanted to protest against seeing "the same faces in charge of the country's institutions or the government ".

Kabila's Common Front for the Congo (CFC) coalition won a comfortable majority in both Houses of Parliament as well as in provincial bademblies. His supporters also dominated the governorship elections across the country.

None of the candidates presented by the FCC to the seven key positions in the Senate is part of the Tshisekedi CACH alliance in the legislature, despite a collaboration agreement between the two political blocs.

Six months after the inauguration of Tshisekedi and more than a month after the appointment of its Prime Minister, Ilunga Ilunkamba, proposed by Kabila, CACH and FCC negotiators are still striving to secure their position. 39; hear about the composition of the government.

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