DRC – 29 July 2016

DR Congo judge ‘pressured’ to convict Moise Katumbi

A judge in the Democratic Republic of Congo has said she was pressured by the intelligence service to convict opposition politician Moise Katumbi. Chantal Ramazani, who is now in hiding, believes the intention was to block Mr Katumbi’s bid for the presidency in elections due in November.

President Joseph Kabila is required by the constitution to step down this year but no poll date has been set. The intelligence services deny the accusations. Last month, Mr Katumbi was convicted of illegal property selling and sentenced to three years in prison, in absentia.

BBC

World Bank suspends funding for DR Congo’s Inga 3 power project

The $14 billlion Inga 3 power project in the Democratic Republic of Congo could be in jeopardy after the World Bank suspended its funding.

The lender said on Monday that it withdrew its funding following disagreements over the the “strategic direction” of the project.

“This follows the Government of DRC’s decision to take the project in a different strategic direction to that agreed between the World Bank and the government in 2014,” the lender said in a statement.

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