Tania Botamba: The dream of a future Doctor shattered by a forced marriage (Editorial Report)

Rédaction: +243 817 406 088

March is dedicated to the promotion and defense of women’s rights. As part of this observance, the Human Rights Television Newsroom presents a series of reports that not only highlight the achievements of women excelling in their respective fields but also denounce the human rights violations they endure.

In this context, we present the story of Tania Botamba, a young woman and early orphan whose path and dream of becoming a doctor were crushed by a forced marriage.

On July 18, 2009, Tania was only 17 years old when her father suddenly passed away. Two months after his death, she was separated from her mother due to an inheritance dispute. As in many African families, her father’s relatives seized all of his possessions, justifying the confiscation with the lack of legal recognition of the union between her parents. Her mother, Mado Lobali, was forced to leave the capital and move to the Equateur province. She never returned. In December 2009, a boat accident on the Congo River claimed the lives of all passengers aboard, including Mado Lobali.

Still a minor at the time, Tania was taken in by her maternal uncle, who ensured she completed her secondary education. She earned her high school diploma in 2010, and her uncle enrolled her in the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Kinshasa. Unfortunately, she failed the entrance exam twice. On her third attempt, she managed a low score of 54%, which was insufficient for advancement. She then enrolled at Bel Campus University to continue her studies, but the household’s financial situation deteriorated.

Tania’s uncle, who worked at Vodacom Congo, a major telecommunications company, was laid off as part of a staff reduction plan and could no longer afford her academic fees. She was forced to drop out of school.

Still determined to achieve her dream, Tania later resumed her studies at the Christian University of Kinshasa, where she reached the level of medical intern between 2019 and 2020.

Just as she was about to begin her one-year internship at Camp Kokolo Military Hospital, her uncle made a shocking announcement:

“You’re old enough now to take care of yourself. I’ve already found you a husband. You’re now a married woman.”

Stunned, Tania learned that her university fees had not been paid by her uncle, but by one of his friends a man in his fifties named Justin. Even worse, she discovered that the bride price (dowry) had been paid without her knowledge or consent.

Helpless especially in a matriarchal society where the word of a maternal uncle is considered sacrosanct Tania was forced to move in with her non-consensual husband in the Bandalungwa district.

“I never imagined they had plans for me,” she confided to us.

Now 29 years old, Tania describes this forced marriage to a much older man as “an unbearable emotional violence.” But she had no choice but to settle into her marital home—where her nightmare began.

Justin turned out to be possessive, authoritarian, and obsessive. He would accompany her to her internship every day.

“He reduced me to a sexual object. When I refused, he beat me”, Tania testified.

She suffered in silence. Only her close friend and colleague knew and encouraged her to endure it.

In December 2020, an unexpected encounter changed everything. During a birthday party at the hospital, Tania met Trésor, a young man from her colleague’s circle. Their communication remained discreet, and out of fear, she deleted their messages before going home.

Trésor, then employed at a travel agency, gradually became an escape for Tania. During the COVID-19 lockdown, as her hospital slowed operations, their secret meetings increased, and their relationship became intimate.

Tania became pregnant. In January 2021, she began to show symptoms. Justin, convinced he was the father, was overjoyed.

One evening, after returning from her internship, Tania found Justin drinking. In a cold tone, he asked:

“Who’s the father of the baby?”

The truth came out. Justin had been informed by the same “close friend” Tania had confided in. What followed was a violent assault.

“He beat me to death. He threatened to kill me and forcibly abort the child”, she recounted.

She managed to escape.

Justin, a well-connected figure in the Tshisekedi regime, was guarded by members of the Republican Guard. From her hiding place, Tania learned that her husband had mobilized resources to find her.

“One of his bodyguards, who liked me a lot, sent me a message saying Justin was looking for me and that if he caught me, he might hurt me for cheating on him—and that not even the President of the Republic could stop him”, she told us from hiding.

Fearing for her life and the life of her unborn child, Tania Botamba now lives in hiding. She responded to our questions but did not reveal her location. She calls on human rights and women’s rights organizations, as well as political and judicial authorities, to take up her case so that she can live a peaceful life.

Moreover, cross-referenced information gathered by the Human Rights Television Newsroom confirms that Justin is a prominent figure within the UDPS, the ruling party, and is among the founders of “La Force du Progrès”, a militia formed within the party known for its violence and aggression.

Forced marriage remains common in many parts of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Some parents compel their daughters to marry before the legal age of 18, often without their consent a practice that is prohibited by national law and by several international conventions ratified by the DRC.

Tania Botamba’s case should serve as a wake-up call for authorities and human rights organizations to strengthen legislation on the matter, making it more binding and punitive.

The Editorial Team

Click here to access the French version: