An NGO denounces kickbacks requested by certain political figures in the DRC (A Press Release by CNPAV)

The Coalition – Congo is not for sale (CNPAV) remains concerned about the deterioration of the business climate in the country and strongly denounces influence peddling and retro-commissions solicited by certain politically exposed personalities in the country.

The CNPAV considers that the video published on September 14, 2022 by Le Temps and OCCRP showing Mr. Vidiye Tshimanga Tshipanda, former adviser to President Felix Tshisekedi in charge of Strategic Issues, soliciting shares in a company that would have liked to settle in the mining sector Congolese, illustrates the contrast between the desire to fight corruption advocated by the regime and expressed by the President of the Republic in various speeches since taking office and the numerous scandals involving major players in the regime and the presidential palace.

He regrets that the politically exposed persons who should restrict themselves to certain trades and practices to ensure that the laws of the country and these commitments, in particular within the framework of the implementation of the EITI, are applied for all, are themselves at the heart of scandals and concealment of beneficial owners.

All in all, the video highlights the bad practices of politically exposed personalities who advocate anti-values ​​​​including corruption, embezzlement of public funds, influence peddling, conflict of interest and usurpation of skills. between the president’s advisers and the members of the government.

The coalition welcomes the opening of a legal file against the accused and asks the competent institutions to clarify this situation. It hopes for the personal involvement of the President of the Republic so that no political interference hinders the smooth running of the investigation, especially since the aforementioned seems to have described the techniques for concealing his identity, the use of nominees and shareholders on behalf of his children and even front companies registered in particular in Mauritius. And even mention the name of a large mining company like Ivanhoe Mines which is already in collaboration with its company COBAMINES on the Kamoa-Kakula deposit in Lualaba.

The CNPAV recalls that the laws of the country provide a fair framework for securing and protecting investments. Any initiative to grant advantages in a procedure for obtaining mining permits or even the facilitation of foreign currency exports contrary to the laws, in exchange for individual advantages, is prohibited.

Thus, the Coalition specifically recommends:

To the President of the Republic Felix-Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo :

– Carry out an administrative investigation to identify all its collaborators immersed in these practices and sanction them immediately to serve as an example to others who would venture to repeat these kinds of practices;

– Reforming his firm by recruiting competent, honest employees who care about the general interest. 

– Avoid multiplying the commissions and other presidential ad hoc structures which monopolize governmental prerogatives and seem to serve as goodwill for their organizers.

To the General Inspectorate of Finance (IGF) and the Court of Auditors :

– Seize this file to carry out an in-depth investigation into the costs, deadlines, stakeholders and practices in the procedure for granting mining titles and make the conclusions public:

To public prosecutors, courts and tribunals :

– Organize a public trial so that Mr. Vidiye Tshimanga Tshipanda undergoes the rigor of the law and serves his entire sentence.

To Ivanhoé Mines :

-Enlighten the Congolese public opinion and the shareholders of Ivanhoe Mines on any possible contractual relationship with Mr. Tshimanga, Cobamines and any other company linked to politically exposed persons.

– Initiate legal proceedings against the latter if the company considers that it has been wrongly quoted:

At EITI DRC :

– To ensure that the publication of the list of subcontracting extractive companies is effective and exhaustive by the publication of the next DRC EITI report.

To international institutions and countries friendly to the DRC:

– Develop sanctions against any Congolese personality involved in bad practices (corruption, influence peddling, embezzlement, …) which keep the Congolese people in indescribable misery;

To the Congolese people :

– Remain vigilant and mobilized to denounce all these bad practices and their authors, who grow exponentially by sacrificing our hopes and those of future generations.

CNPAV press release