By
Sylvain Muyali
It was around 4pm local time that the plane carrying Joseph Kabila landed at Mavivi airport in the city of Beni, in north eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. The Congolese President’s visit was motivated by the recent massacre that took place in this part of the country, with a record to date of nearly 80 deaths.
When he arrived, President Kabila met with officers headed by General Mushale, commander of the Third Operational Zone for discussions on appropriate action to be taken.
The Congolese Head of State in his program, consultations and listening sessions with local people aimed to further enhance the understanding of the situation on the ground in order that appropriate measures are taken to halt the escalation of violence in the Beni region.
President Kabila will also address the population of Beni to convey his message of compassion and consolation to the innocent victims of these atrocities.
It should be remembered that on the night of Tuesday to Wednesday, the day of his arrival, Congolese armed forces were able to kill a Ugandan rebel in an attack that targeted a military position at Mayi-Moya, 40 km north of Beni. Several Ugandan rebels were also reportedly wounded in the attack, with a Congolese army (FARDC) soldier a fatality in the crossfire.
Sylvain Muyali
Sylvain Muyali is a Journalist, Photographer and Filmmaker from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He has reported previously for the Associated Press and his words and images can also be found at ‘Vivons Positivement‘