New Congolese military governors take office today

The provinces of Ituri and Goma in the Democratic Republic of Congo are expecting their military and police governors on Monday. Constant Ndima Kongba, Johnny Luboya Nkashama and their police deputies take up their new duties today, with the mission of bringing peace to these provinces terrorised by armed groups.

In the DRC, Lieutenant Generals Constant Ndima Kongba and Johnny Luboya Nkashama land in Bunia and Goma respectively, this Monday morning, 10 May 2021, to take up their new duties as governors of the provinces of Ituri and North Kivu in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Appointed on 4 May 2021 by President Félix Tshisekedi to take charge of the two provinces in the east of the DRC from 6 May, the date on which the state of emergency came into force, it is finally this Monday that the new governors will take up their posts in the said provinces, which they will lead for 30 days.

The military governor of Ituri, Constant Ndima Kongba, is a former rebel of the Movement for the Liberation of Congo (MLC) of Jean-Pierre Bemba, now a member of the Sacred Union. At the time of his appointment, Constant Ndima Kongba was Deputy Chief of General Staff in charge of administration and logistics. In his new position, he will be assisted by Divisional Commissioner Ekuka Lipopo. In North Kivu, it is also a former rebel who is taking over. Johnny Luboya Nkashama is a former member of the Rassemblement congolais pour la démocratie (RCD) Goma rebellion, which is close to Rwanda. Alongside him will be the divisional commissioner Alonga Boni Benjamin who will assume the duties of vice-governor.

It should be noted that it is not only at the head of the provinces that military and police officers will be placed, but at all levels of their administrative apparatus. Since it was decreed, the state of siege measure has been the subject of various assessments throughout the Congo. If it is applauded by some, it is strongly decried by others such as Gilbert Kambale of the civil society of Beni for whom it « prepares the bed of balkanisation » of the country or Martin Fayulu and Adolphe Muzito of Lamuka who fear that it is a « political manoeuvre to muzzle Congolese citizens and massively welcome foreign populations in the eastern part of the DRC ».

In any case, in thirty days, we will be able to assess the relevance of the state of emergency which, according to the authorities in Kinshasa, aims only to bring back peace and quiet in a region that has long been martyred by armed groups.