Last week the FARDC tribunal of North Kivu announced that they had amassed enough evidence proving the involvement of the Mayi-Mayi leader Ntabo Ntaberi Cheka in the infamous mass rapes of August 2010 in and around the village of Luvungi, in Walikale. Over 300 women, children and men were raped there over a period of hours. The rapes provoked mass indignation, and precipitated an inquiry and an extraordinary deployment of Congolese Police funded by the United Nations.
Ironically then, at just about the same time, another State institution also pronounced on Cheka: The National Independent Electroal Commission (the CENI). On 17 October they published their definitive lists of candidates for the parliamentary elections of 28th November. The list included Cheka, who will contest as an independent candidate in Walikale.
Formerly complicit with the FARDC in the control of the largest cassiterite mines in the Province, Mayi-Mayi Cheka continues to menace the civilian population of Walikale with frequent guerrilla attacks against the Congolese armed forces and other Congolese Armed groups.
It would appear to be an almost implausible transition for Cheka to make, from war lord to member of parliament.
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