Thirty-two men — including South Africans, an American and a Nigerian — have been arrested in the Democratic Republic of Congo in a reported coup plot, news reports said on Wednesday.
The men, reported to be employees of security firms, were arrested last week and have been detained without judicial process and amid an information blackout by the Kinshasa government, according to Radio France Internationale (RFI).
Reuters news agency reported that ”about 30” foreigners had been arrested. Its website quoted government spokesperson Henri Mova Sakanyi as saying: ”About 30 people claiming to work for a security company have been arrested. They say they were working for the company but our information suggests they had other intentions.”
Sakanyi said Nigerians and Americans were among those arrested. ”They wanted to destabilise the institutions of the country; that means a coup attempt.”
A government official speaking on condition of anonymity in Kinshasa said the case is a matter of ”national security”, declining further comment.
The South African Department of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday said it is aware of allegations that foreigners, including South Africans, had been arrested in the DRC.
Spokesperson Nomfanelo Kota said the department is speaking to the authorities in the DRC to find out what happened. ”We are aware of the allegations and are trying to get comprehensive information on the incident,” Kota said.
The DRC embassy in Pretoria said it is also waiting for a full report.
The vast, mineral-rich Central African country the size of Western Europe is currently preparing for the first multiparty presidential elections in 40 years slated for July 30.
About 16 800 United Nations peacekeepers — conducting the UN’s largest and most expensive mission in the world — are fanned out to help provide security ahead of the crucial polls, particularly in the volatile north-eastern and central regions.
The UN troops are expected to be boosted by a 1 500-strong European Union force ahead of the polls. — Sapa-dpa, Sapa