Tshisekedi pledges support to the Congolese in Uganda

KAMPALA - The president of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Felix Tshisekedi was on Saturday hosted by President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni at State House Entebbe.

According to a tweet from Museveni's official Twitter handle, they met and discussed trade, regional security and other areas of bilateral interest to Uganda and the DR Cong

After meeting the president of Uganda, Tshisekedi took time off to meet prominent members and representatives of the Congolese community in Uganda at the Protea Hotel.

The president of the Congolese in the Diaspora Community, Davis Bahatti Kayumbu flanked by the leader of the Bantu Ya Mbelele global movement, Williams Bugeme (widely renowned as Boss Mtoto,) led a delegation of Congolese nationals leaving in Uganda for a dialogue with HE Felix Tshekedi at Protea Hotel.

Kayumbu said the meeting was held to discuss ways the government of Congo can get involved in the welfare of the populace of the Congolese nationals living in Uganda.

Bugeme takes selfie with President Tshekedi

 
"With a population of over 600,000 Congolese, Uganda has the highest number of Congolese categorized as living and working in the diaspora in the whole world. And while the Ugandan government has been so helpful, it is important that the home government gets involved as well," explained Kayumbu.

Socialite and entrepreneur Williams Bugeme (renowned as the biggest idol for Congolese in Uganda,) who the president met because of his fame and philanthropic works with the Battu Yambelele mbelle movement, explained on the phone that many Congolese do not know how to earn a livelihood in Uganda.

"A substantial lot of the Congolese population in Uganda are refugees who are depending solely on government aid. This has to change. They need to take up an entrepreneurial mindset and acquire skill sets that are viable in the job market. We have been holding programmes to equip the few that we can with the knowledge and empowerment, but with the president of Congo involved, we now hope to achieve more," explained Bugeme in a phone interview.

Speaking at the dialogue, President Tshisekedi vowed to support the Congolese in Uganda.

"I am happy to have met you, and thank you for the good work. We will meet more, to discuss how best to go about all the strategies that have been discussed," said Tshisekedi, in reference to the community he met.