By Nurudeen Shotayo

The Minister had reportedly described impregnating his deputy as an unintended outcome of an office romance.

Aminata Namasia, the Congolese National Deputy Minister of Primary, Secondary, and Technical Education, has reacted to the reports making the rounds about her purported pregnancy for her senior colleague, Mwaba Kazadi.

Kazadi has been quoted by some media outlets to have confessed to an existing office romance between him and his junior colleague which has now resulted in an unplanned pregnancy.

According to a claim going viral on social media, the Minister described the outcome of his extramarital affairs with Namasa as an accident at work.

Reports emanating from the Central African country had indicated that, despite being married, Namasa was believed to have developed feelings for her superior after being appointed to the cabinet of President Jean-Michel Sama Lukonde on April 12, 2021.

Namasa tells her own side of the story

However, contrary to the viral claim, the woman at the centre of the controversy has debunked the rumour.

Speaking through a post on her Twitter page, the junior minister refuted the pregnancy claim and also demanded respect from people regarding aspects of her life outside her official and public duties.

While reminding everyone of her right to privacy as guaranteed by the Congolese constitution, Namasa condemned the damage to her reputation, warning that the development could imperil not only her relationships but also the reputations of her married male coworkers and their homes.

She also attributed the report to a plot by her political traducers who have embarked on a smear campaign against her ahead of the December 2023 election in the country.

Namasia said. “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.”

Congolese react to alleged pregnancy scandal

Even though the story has also been debunked by “a reliable Congolese” named Nugandu in a report in The Street Journal, citizens of the Central African country have continued to express their dismay over the development on social media.

Taking to his Twitter page, Archy Lema, a DRC citizen, described DRC as a country of shame. The displeased netizen said Namasa has lost all the moral right to educate any young lady in the country.

While another Twitter user and also a citizen of DRC said politicians like Kazadi and Namasia need to exhibit excellent and honourable conducts if they desire to be regarded as “excellencies” or “honourables.”