Africa

DRC presidential candidate Moise Katumbi denounces the murder of his party spokesman

July 13 (EUROPA PRESS) –

The prominent politician Moise Katumbi, candidate for the Presidency of the Democratic Republic of Congo, denounced on Thursday the “political assassination” of Chérubin Okende, the spokesman for his party, Together for the Republic.

Okende’s lifeless body has been found inside his vehicle on a central street in the Congolese capital, Kinsasa, with multiple gunshot wounds. Okende had previously served as a deputy and Minister of Transport, reports Radio Okapi.

“I am very angry, I am very sad. It is a political assassination of Chérubin, who was the voice of the party,” Katumbi lamented in statements to Radio France Internationale, where he denounced a persecution to try to silence him.

Thus, the candidate has demanded an independent investigation to “find out the truth” about what happened to his spokesman, and has stated that he mistrusts the Congolese institutions. “What they did to Chérubin will not go unpunished,” he said.

“It was an ambush (…) How far are we going in this country? Where is the rule of law if we have to kill someone because they disagree with the way the country works?” Ketumbi added.

The European Union has transferred its strong condemnation of the murder of Okende and has called on the authorities to quickly clarify the circumstances of the event and bring those responsible to justice.

“Everything possible must be done so that the elections take place in a climate that allows them to be competitive, peaceful, inclusive and transparent,” the European Union diplomacy has settled in a brief statement.

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