DR Congo: Thomas Lubanga Claims Phone Call with President Tshisekedi, Says Memorandums on Ituri Went Unanswered
According to RFI, Thomas Lubanga says he received a phone call from President Félix Tshisekedi and submitted several memorandums on the security crisis in Ituri, but claims no concrete action followed.
Thomas Lubanga Claims He Spoke with President Tshisekedi
According to RFI, Thomas Lubanga says he received a phone call on May 18, 2025, which he believes came from DR Congo President Félix-Antoine Tshisekedi. Lubanga claims the call was placed using the phone of presidential adviser Max Nissan Amadé.
He insists that the conversation was not a direct response to the memorandum he had previously submitted through National Assembly Speaker Vital Kamerhe.
Discussion Focused on Governance in Ituri
According to Lubanga, President Tshisekedi asked why he had taken such steps. Lubanga says he responded by expressing dissatisfaction with the country’s governance, particularly the security situation in Ituri Province, where General Johnny Luboya oversees operations under the state of siege.
Lubanga further claims that the President told him General Luboya was “not irreplaceable” and promised significant changes. However, Lubanga says those promised reforms never materialized.
Presidential Envoy Meets CRP in Uganda
RFI also reports that on May 28, 2025, Max Nissan Amadé, described by Lubanga as a presidential envoy, met with the Convention for the Popular Revolution (CRP) in Uganda.
The meeting reportedly focused on efforts to restore peace in Ituri. During the discussions, the CRP handed over a memorandum outlining what it described as the deteriorating political and security situation in both Ituri and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Lubanga Says Three Memorandums Received No Response
Thomas Lubanga says he had hoped for a concrete response to the concerns outlined in the memorandums. Instead, he claims he encountered advisers whom he considered poorly informed about conditions on the ground.
He also says he submitted a third memorandum through Catholic bishops who visited him in Uganda, asking them to deliver it directly to President Tshisekedi.
As of now, the Presidency of the Democratic Republic of the Congo has not publicly confirmed the alleged phone conversation or the claims made by Thomas Lubanga, as reported by RFI.
