COVID-19: Three Die In DR Congo Lockdown Protest

Hundreds of protesters took to the street of DR Congo capital on Tuesday to protest against the closure of the city’s main market.

The protest against the Coronavirus lockdown led to the death of three people on Tuesday.

Police while reacting to the development revealed that they fired warning shots to disperse the protesters who gathered at the site demanding the reopening of the Kinshasa market.

Witnesses at the scene of the protest noted that at least one person was killed by gunfire.

A spokesman for the Kinshasa provincial government, Charles Mbuta Muntu, said two people were electrocuted while another was crushed to death by the fleeing crowd after “trouble by people pretending to be trade unionists” from the market.

“We deplore the deaths of three people,” Muntu, said following a meeting to discuss the unrest.

“Those responsible for these riots have been arrested” for having violated the state of emergency measures imposed to combat the virus.”

The protesters hurled insults at the Kinshasa governor, Gentiny Ngobila, calling him a “thief.”

The Interior Minister, Gilbert Kankonde, in a letter ordered Ngobila to reopen the market.

However, the governor first wants work undertaken by the city authorities to improve health and sanitation at the market.

The Democratic Republic of Congo has suffered 90 deaths from the new coronavirus from 4,359 cases, including 3,864 in Kinshasa.