UN urges Congo President to keep his promise of stepping down

NewsBharati    01-Jan-2018
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Kinshasa, January 1: African country Congo has been witnessing an ongoing violence due to a political crisis. A large number of protestors are coming down to road against Congo President Joseph Kabila and during protests at least 8 people have died. United Nations has urged Congo’s president to abide by an agreement to leave power who signed a deal with opposition groups a year ago agreeing to step down once his current term end.

“The Secretary-General calls on the Government and national security forces to exercise restraint and to uphold the rights of the Congolese people to the freedom of speech and peaceful assembly,” UN said in a statement.

He went on to urge all Congolese political actors to remain fully committed to the 31 December 2016 political agreement which according to him remains the only viable path to the holding of elections, the peaceful transfer of power and the consolidation of stability in the DRC.

Since its independence from Belgium, the country never witnessed a peaceful transition of power. Despite being gifted with minerals, the country could not develop due to political conflicts. With the postpone of Presidential polls, the violence has increased recently more.