FELIX, ‘XAVI’ SENT BACK HOME

MBABANE – The country’s international players, Felix Badenhorst and Mthunzi ‘Xavi’ Mkhontfo who are plying their trade with Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) side AS Vita, have been sent back home by the Kinshasa-based side.

The political unrest in the East African country has seen over 40 people reportedly killed.
The duo’s team, AS Vita, had released the players who left Kinshasa yesterday and spent a better part of the day in Ethiopia ready to connect a flight to South Africa last night. They are set to arrive in the country today. The political unrest has been caused by the refusal of the country’s President, Joseph Kabila, to step down.

According to reports carried by e-NCA, the capital city, Kinshasa, remains tense with reports of gunfire in some parts and a continuing blackout on social media to prevent political activists organising protests.
AS Vita is based in Kinshasa where the violent scenes are getting worse by the day. The DRC domestic league has since been called off and the players have been given days off to enjoy the festive holidays.
A source close to the players confirmed yesterday that they left DRC yesterday morning and they were to connect to Johannesburg, South Africa from Ethiopia last night.

According to the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) group, more than 40 people have died in the protests.  “The players have left DRC as they ere given permission to go home for the festive holidays after the league was called off. At least now they will be safe,” said the source.

President Kabila is constitutionally barred from standing for a third term in an election scheduled for next year. The AFP reported yesterday that demonstrators blew whistles and beat improvised drums, their gesture for a red card, asking the 45-year-old, who has led the DRC since 2001, to quit the top position. An explosion was heard near the presidential palace as residents also reported the sound of tear gas being fired while Monday’s heavy police and military presence continued into yesterday.

For the third day running, violence has erupted in DRC as police clashed with demonstrators denouncing electoral reforms. The protesters are angry at a law that would require a national census to be carried out before the poll, a move that could delay it by years thus allowing the president to put off standing down.

Post your comment

Your name:

Your e-mail address:

Add your comments:

Please enter the code you see in the image:

Image:

Code: