The Federation of Mining Associations, Trade Unions, and Civil Society Organizations Accuse President Felix Tshisekedi’s Family of Plundering Natural Resources in Grand-Katanga
According to statements published in the Belgian newspaper La Libre, these Congolese groups claim that the looting of mineral resources in Grand-Katanga began in 2015 but escalated significantly in 2019 when Felix Tshisekedi came to power.
The people of Katanga have reported that the military and other security forces actively pursue those who attempt to expose the issue, reinforcing the idea that powerful individuals have vested interests in the region’s mines.
They stated: “The military and security forces, especially in Kansai, hunt down those who speak out about the problem. It must be said that illegal mining generates significant revenue for President Felix Tshisekedi’s family and unscrupulous investors.”
The head of the mining association in Lualaba province revealed that his mine was seized by Tshisekedi’s brother, Christian Tshisekedi.
He declared: “Since 2019, things have worsened. Katanga has become a cash cow for President Felix Tshisekedi’s family, which extracts wealth from these provinces, especially in Lualaba, without making any investments there.”
He explained that the new mining law requires that a large portion of the revenues from natural resource exploitation in the provinces be reinvested locally to promote economic growth.
However, this is not being done, as the president’s family allegedly sends large numbers of foreign workers, mainly from Asia, to the mines, extracting millions of dollars annually and transferring the funds to Kinshasa.
The Democratic Republic of Congo is a country rich in various minerals, but its economic development has long been hindered by corruption and the plundering of its natural resources by government officials. Grand-Katanga is considered the country’s main mineral hub, with large deposits of copper, cobalt, cassiterite, and diamonds.
The presidential guard now protects many of the mines in Grand-Katanga.
Despite these challenges, members of mining associations and civil society groups in the region have sought legal assistance from Belgian lawyer Bernard Maingain to help them file lawsuits against those involved in the illegal mining operations in Grand-Katanga.
