DR Congo: President Tshisekedi assesses volcanic damage in Goma
Félix Tshisekedi visits Goma city to assess the damage caused by the volcanic eruption. -
Jerome Delay/Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
By Kizzi Asala
and Gaël Mpoyo with Africanews
President of the Democratic Republic of Congo Félix Tshisekedi -- accompanied by wife and first lady Denise Nyakéru, paid a visit on Monday to Goma city where the recent volcanic eruption of Mount Nyiragongo devastated the area.
DRC: Félix Tshisekedi visits the outskirts of Goma after the volcanic eruption
The Head of State took time to assess the damage inflicted in and around the city by the volcano's fiery spurts and promised the locals that all houses destroyed by the lava would be rebuilt.
"Hello everyone, we cannot help but sympathise with you. I myself and my wife your mother are always by your side and we will never leave you."
Yes, dear ladies and gentlemen, I am weighing my words carefully (as I am also a writer) when I say that the houses of the disaster victims in Goma and those of the FARDC soldiers will never be built by Félix Tshisekedi. ¦ And if they are built? Besides you use the word Never ?
Victims of the natural disaster said they had the opportunity to share their concerns and grievances with their Congolese leader.
Abigael Byenda, a local resident affected by the natural disaster, feels heard but still wants assistance.
Félix Tshisekedi in Goma: "I have just arrived, give me time to integrate the extent of the damage (...)," #DRC
"We said thank you to the president for coming to visit us after the disaster that affected us. We women of Nyiragongo, we were hit by this disaster, we told him everything because until now we are suffering a lot."
Another resident Chimanuka Lwaboshi Enock appears happy to see the president on site himself and that hopes concrete helps is on the way.
#DRC 14.06.2021|#Goma The President of the Republic, Félix-Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo, devoted the day of Monday 14 June to a visit of comfort to the victims of the Nyiragongo volcano.
"He himself has been immersed in the situation, he has seen that we have a serious problem with water and security. He saw that all our plants have been destroyed by the volcano. We asked him to build new houses. All our houses had been decimated. "
After his Goma visit, President Félix Tshisekedi is expected in Beni where he will assess the work of the DRC Armed Forces on the frontline against the ADF rebels and will then head to Uganda for a meeting with his presidential counterpart Yoweri Museveni.
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