A man believed to have been in his 40s has been killed by a stray bullet in Kinshasa City during an exchange of gunfire between the Guards of Republican President and local Police officers.
The shootout occurred amid chaos that ensued in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s capital following the fighting between two Congolese forces.
Confirming the incident, the Mayor of Kalamu District, Charly Luboya, revealed that the clashes broke out after the Republican Presidential Guards launched an attack on the Makala sub-police station in Kinshasa but the motive for the attack remains unknown.
DRC Defense forces in disarray
Following the invasion of the station, law enforcement from another security post at the Matonge Police base of Kalamu district, responded in retaliation therefore leading to an exchange of fire and mayhem which left one person dead and several wounded.
The victim, who was accidentally shot and died on the spot, was taken to the Mabanga Yolo morgue.
Preparators of the incident from both sides fled the scene after the incident.
“The authorities have opened an investigation to clarify the exact circumstances of this violence and identify the offenders,” announced Mayor Charly Luboya.
In another development, the Democratic Republic of Congo’s president Félix Tshisekedi has admitted that the Congolese Armed Forces (FARDC) soldiers are being underpaid thus demotivated.
Tshisekedi has admitted that his government had been paying soldiers deployed at the war front as low as USD 100 each per month while expecting them to face the well-catered-for, M23 rebels.
Tshisekedi said he had since decided to increase the soldiers’ salaries up to USD 500 in a bid to reform and motivate the forces in the midst of growing insecurities.
Observers feel that the previous neglect of the Congolese army by President Tshisekedi and his government has resulted in the nation losing the entire eastern region to the Congo River Alliance (AFC) and M23 rebels.
In fact, many members of the government forces have been reported to be jumping from the FARDC ship and joining the rebel coalition, at least for the pay.