Minister of Primary, Secondary and Technical Education (EPST) in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Tony Mwaba Kazadi has reportedly impregnated his Deputy Minister, Aminata Namasia.
He allegedly confessed to an unethical romance with his subordinate but described the act and consequent pregnancy as “accidental.”
Local media reports that Kazadi and Namasia have spouses, but that didn’t stop them from developing feelings for each other as they worked together in the DRC education ministry.
The Heritage Times credited the news of the public officials’ affair to a DRC journalist, Lungila John, who took to Twitter to open the lid on what led to the deputy education minister’s pregnancy.
Aminata was appointed the National Deputy Minister under Prime Minister, under Jean-Michel Sama Lukonde’s cabinet on April 12, 2021.
The government officials have come under heavy criticism from citizens of DRC on social media.
After rumours of the pregnancy circulated on the internet, Deputy Minister, Aminata took to her Twitter page to demand that her privacy be respected.
She said “Beyond my official and public duties, I have a life that must be respected by all. A right guaranteed to all Congolese by our Constitution. Tarnishing my image should not be a tolerated habit.
“Indeed, it could harm not only my commitments, but also the image of my married male colleagues and their homes.
“On the eve of the electoral contests scheduled for December of this year, political detractors can attack my opinions and political actions rather than opting for practices tending to smear my person.
“It should be noted that a certain sensational press has hammered since last Tuesday on the fact that this ministerial authority would have had romantic relations with another personality who would be in conflict with another person who maintains the same type of relationship with the vice- minister.
“For a certain opinion, this is a strictly private life that must be respected at the risk of undermining human dignity”.