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Bad omens for the electoral season


The New Year has not kicked off well in the Congo. At least in electoral terms. After Vital Kamerhe was prevented from holding rallies in Goma and Bukavu – authorities argued that the campaign season had not yet begun – the opposition in Kinshasa was briefly prevented from meeting in Kinshasa to discuss a joint stance on the proposed constitutional revision (they eventually met and denounced it).

Then, a journalist for the CCTV TV station was reportedly arrested in Bas-Congo after organizing a debate on Kabila’s presidency (the governor’s office says he was arrested for other reasons). In Uvira, a journalist was arrested for ten days following a radio program during which he criticized the president and the local administrator. Another journalist who participated in the same program has been living in hiding since then.

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