US slams Congo police chief with sanctions

US announced on Thursday that it has imposed sanctions against the chief of Kinshasa police in the Democratic Republic of Congo for allegedly being involved in violence against civilians. General Celestin Kanyama is accused of making illegal arrest, brutally dispersing demonstrations, kidnappings that have multiplied over the last several months reports RFI.

Gen. Kanyama is the first senior security official in the DRC to receive such measures. The US Government has frozen his assets and barred Americans from transacting with him.

The US is sending a clear message that is condemns the violence against violence in the DRC. According to the special envoy to the Great Lakes Region in Africa believes that the United States has given sufficient time to the personalities involved in violence to change lanes. For months the US had been threatening of sanctions if the violence didn’t desist.

According to the US, President Joseph Kabila’s regime is repressing the people as the President’s tenure comes to an end this year.  Kabila is expected to leave power because he has served his two terms allowed by the constitution, but his government has been delaying organizing elections.

RFI