Kinshasa- Three soldiers and two civilians have been killed in a car motorcade involving DR Congo president Joseph Kabila’s, injuring 11 people, the presidency office said on Wednesday.
The accident happened on the southwest road 220 kilometres (110 miles) south of Kinshasa, as Kabila was returning to the capital on Tuesday.
“Last night, a vehicle in the presidential motorcade was hit on the Matadi highway at Kimpese by a truck carrying cement,” communications official Yvon Ramazani told AFP on Wednesday.
“Three soldiers in the Republican Guard were killed along with two civilians who were nearby,” he said. Seven soldiers and four civilians were also injured, Ramazani said, adding that the accident had been caused by heavy rain.
Kabila “stayed on the site until the emergency services arrived, and personally supervised the ambulance evacuation of dead and injured,” he said.
The accident was caused by heavy rains and the Republic Guard is in charge of protecting the president, as the Kabila was returning from a stay in a hotel at sea port of Matadi.
The roads in the DRC are notoriously known for being in poor condition, as the poverty stricken nation have poor road surfaces, heavy vehicles and speeding vehicles are often causes of the accidents.
Kaliba was to meet neighbouring presidents of the Republic of Congo and Angola, Denis Sassou Nguesso and Joao Lourenco, for a tripartite meeting on Wednesday.
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