Bukavu: A residence of President Joseph Kabila was burned down early Monday in a suspected militia attack that killed a police officer in the Democratic Republic of Congo, witnesses said.
So-called Mai-Mai armed groups were probably trying to steal goods from the building in Musienene, North Kivu province in the country’s troubled east, according to a military official.
“The residence of the head of state in Musienene has been targeted in an attack from 03:00 and then burned by the Mai-Mai,” the official told AFP on condition of anonymity.
“The attackers ransacked everything before setting the house and some vehicles on fire.”
Kabila spends most of his time in the capital, Kinshasa, but is believed to have several homes across the country, including a farm.
Musienene regularly sees protests against Kabila’s extended time in power and demonstrations over insecurity.
He has managed to cling to power despite his second and final term as president officially ending in December 2016.
Elections to replace him never took place and a deal was eventually brokered that enabled Kabila to stay in office until a vote that was due to be held in 2017. The poll has since been postponed until December 23, 2018.
“We saw the flames consume the residence of the president of the republic when we awoke,” said Pascal Mukondi, a resident of Musienene.
Another resident said they “feared retaliation” from the army.
Armed Congolese groups and foreign forces control swathes of territory in North Kivu province and fighting is relatively common.
In a separate development, nine soldiers were killed in two ambushes by a suspected rebel militia group in South Kivu province, the military said Monday.
“The army recorded a loss of nine soldiers in two ambushes in the Baraka operational zone”, a unnamed military official told AFP.
A lieutenant was killed on Sunday in the village Lweba, 7km from the Baraka district, the official added.
The other deaths came in an attack two days earlier.
“Our hospital received the bodies of eight soldiers killed by bullets on Friday,” an official at a hospital in Lulimba, a village 60 kilometres south of Baraka, told AFP.
The military official accused the Mai-Mai militia of being responsible for both attacks, adding that DR Congo’s army lost “important material”.
5 Replies to “President Kabila’s House Burnt Down”
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This situation in Congo is unlikely to take Zimbabwe’s way all generals in Congo lack wisdom and they hero worship this man. They also run several mines each. There are also some influencial Zimbabweans involved in the looting of resources in DRC. I have names and places they have influence. It’s so sad. Now the Congolese are hated with passion in neighboring countries.
Kabila is not only arrogant but also lacks wisdom. The country is so rich in almost all minerals know to this world yet his fellow country men are living in object poverty. Over 250 Truckloads of minerals leave DRC Congo daily (this is not an estimate) for export mainly to South Africa and sea ports to China .Where is the money going all roads ( except the one from Kasumbalesa to Lubumbashi) are in pathetic state. He must just loose everything ,he is heartless. The Congolese are no longer proud to be Congolese. Their country should be the most advanced in Africa had the resources been put to good use. Of all the African leaders Kabila and Mubutu have wasted most of Africa’s resources. Most of the health and social development is almost all donor founded
I think the Congolese should start this important project of burning kabila’s properties now. This kabila fool is another Mugabe in the making who have made Africa look like a cursed continent. Maybe let’s pray for the army to open their eyes and not be used by this barbarian.
In fact they need support to burn virtually everything he owns because he is selfish.this type of leadership is not God ordained but Lucifer ordained so they only understand violence as their first language. Africa has a demon of leadership overstaying in power there is only ONE who is never voted in power who stays forever and ever his name is YAHWEH , JEHOVHA ,ELSHADAI so people all over the universe lets bear this in mind. Be God fearing and have a loving heart for your fellow countrymen they too have feelings . If you want to overstay in power stay in your marriage and no one will overthrow you .stay blessed and enjoy your holidays and lets always ask for his grace for his mercies are new everyday
THAT IS THE ONLY LANGUAGE THESE IDIOTS UNDERST UNFORTUNATELY!