Eric Casinga
Democratic Republic of Congo
Gunshots, teargas blasting in the air, cries of women and children roaring this quiet morning of March 18th 2019. I got woken up by the noise outside; my neighbour was in tears because she just lost her son, a young fellow with a promising future whose life had just been put to an end by police forces. The only sin he has ever committed was to take part in a march by the civil society to reclaim peace and stability in the DRC.
The death of Mongali so wounded me, though I didn't know him personally. It got to my senses that similar situations have happened to me. What should I do to stop this? Who am I to stop this bloodshed?
I am Eric Casinga, a former refugee and returnee. I decided to return to the DR Congo to positively impact nature conservation and sanitation. It was a crazy and deadly idea because I was already very active in the social media space and one of the biggest critics of the Kabila regime. This man was president when I had to flee the country for the mere reason that I refused to get recruited into a rebel group. Despite all the sorrows and trauma I went through, there was something very positive at the back of my mind: one day, I have to go back to my country and change things, no matter what! this story of me embarking on the political journey started growing daily.
This was an undying fire within me that no hydrants would mitigate. Even the fear of being prosecuted or executed by Kabila cronies couldn't decrease the level of this ideal I was pursuing.
When I touched the concrete soil of Ndjili airport, I could feel how the giant Congo had come to its knees. I could smell a taste of statelessness, an abandoned population, and the epitome of poverty on my face. The mission was not as easy as I thought. I first connected with my fellow Yali (Young African Leaders initiative) to get an overall assessment of the situation. We used to talk almost every day and meet secretly to discuss political matters and how we could get involved and change the status quo. The other issue was which political party to join because almost all of them were corrupt, with the same faces holding office in all government reshuffles. How do I survive in a country captured by a certain class of people who consider themselves untouchable and invincible?
As an adage says, time can turn juice into alcohol. I had to take my time and observe the situation strategically. With all this youthful population and the tremendous untapped wealth that the Congo holds, there is no way that our population could be living in such misery, hopelessness, and sorrow. I had to choose: either suffer the same fate as my people or become part of the change and get as many young people as possible on this journey.
After the 2018 election that brought Felix Tshisekedi to the throne of Congo, I saw how positive my people were, thinking this new regime would bring peace and stability to the country. Big was our disappointment because guns were heard once again in the eastern part of the country, in my native Kivu. Apart from that, our economy was struggling and dollarised to the core. The inflation rate is skyrocketing, making basic products such as sugar and tea rare and expensive in the local market. This was the reason why young Mongali took part in the march that saw his life taken.
I quickly met with my community to call for justice for Mongali. The brave ones showed up, and we went straight to the governor of Kinshasa's office to drop our memo. We were received with teargas, hot water and serious beatings by the police force once again! This was a very unfortunate moment, but simultaneously, it brought a certain determination to keep fighting for my people! It also showed me how strong we are as a united nation to ask for accountability from our governing leaders. As an active member of the private sector in the sanitation industry, I am aware of and in touch with realities on the ground.
Fast-forward to 2022. A friend of mine invited me to a newly formed political party meeting called AREP ( agissons pour la Republique). I automatically fell in love with their mission, vision, and objectives. I was elected to represent the party in the 2023 general elections without any objection. I declined the offer and instead went for the local councillor election.
This was an overwhelming experience; it is a stepping stone in my political career. We have buried many souls, many lives have been lost in Congo, and the smartest of sons of our land have chosen to leave the country and contribute towards the future of other nations. Still, here we are, I am, in front of you, with a missile called love for my country, an armoury of Determination and, most importantly, some brain drafting a 25-year development plan for my country, my dearest Congo, where I dream every Congolese has the right to live peacefully and to strive no matter their tribe, origin, social status or background, Yes, I am that glimpse of hope! Why should we act now? Because tomorrow might be a little too late, Congo is under siege and requires the efforts of everyone for its upliftment, and here I am, in front of you, to take up this challenge.