HUNDREDS of protesters on Monday responded to a call from civil society to take to the streets of Uvira, in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
Citizens protested the recent appointment of General Olivier Gasita Mukunda as deputy commander of the 33rd military region of the DRC’s Armed Forces (FARDC).
Protesters demanded Gasita’s removal, accusing him of having collaborated with the Rwanda-backed M23 rebels during the seizure of Bukavu last February.
“We were sent an officer we do not agree with, General Olivier Gasita. He has a very bad track record in Bukavu,” protester Dunia Prince told Africanews.
“He does not have the trust of the people, which is why together with the population, we have stood up to demand his removal,” he added.
Waving banners, signs, and national flags, demonstrators chanted slogans against General Gasita before submitting a memorandum to the local authorities addressed to the President Félix Tshisekedi.
Located in South-Kivu, Uvira is currently under the control of a coalition formed by the FARDC and Wazalendo militias.
Mapenzi Manyebwa, the president of the Uvira Civil Society Synergy, fear that Gasita’s appointment is a sign that authorities are willing to “hand over the city to the rebels.”
Police and the army oversaw the march, which proceeded peacefully until warning shots were fired during the demonstration’s dispersal, causing panic.
Civil society reports at least four deaths and several injuries, a toll not yet confirmed by local authorities.
The FARDC had already called for calm last weekend, warning against any manipulation orchestrated by enemies and reaffirming their support for the contested officer.
