UN
United Nations Peacekeeping
5 Mar
2009
DRC Press Review
Most of today's papers devote their main headlines to the presidential decree appointing governors and deputy governors to the DR Congo's 11 provinces, including the capital, Kinshasa.
In a story titled 'Here is the list of new governors and vice-governors,' LE PALMARES gives the substance of the decree that President Joseph Kabila signed on May 16. Three of the former governors retained their posts, says the paper, referring to César Tsatsa-Di-Ntumba of the Bas-Congo province, Eugène Serufuli of South Kivu and Claudel Lubaya of Kasaï Occidental. Jean Kimbunda was promoted governor of Kinshasa, notes the paper, before adding that three of the members of the Government left their positions to become governors. 'Theo Baruti, former Minister of Labour, is named governor of Province Orientale, while the governorship of Maniema is handed to Koloso Sumaili, former Deputy Minister of Justice, and Yves Mobando Yogo, former Deputy Minister of External Commerce is appointed governor of Equateur.'
L'AVENIR, which points out that this nomination process is unfinished, notes that 'the three deputy governors of Kinshasa and the deputy governor of Equateur for Economic, Financial and Development Issues are yet to be named.'
LE PHARE deplores the fact that there was no woman in the list of governors. 'Not only did the Congolese political class completely failed to incorporate the gender dimension that calls on all States to guarantee that at least 30% of women are present at all decision-making levels, but it looks women will, for a long time still, be used as a stepping stone by male decision-makers,' the paper comments. However, according to L'AVENIR, three women, drawn respectively from the ranks of the former Government, Civil Society and the Political Opposition, were named deputy governors in Equateur, Kasaï Oriental and Maniema.
LA REFERENCE PLUS headlines 'Some Congolese rejoice and some grit their teeth.' This refers in particular to the disappointment expressed by some entities vis-à-vis these nominations. The paper cites, for example, the RCD-National whose leader, Roger Lubala, is said to have threatened to leave the Government after being 'duped by the MLC' concerning the designation of governors. The paper also notes a discontentment among the Maï Maï, who, after being 'deceived', are said to be angry at President Joseph Kabila.
Following the nomination of one Minister and two Vice Ministers to the provincial administration, LE POTENTIEL expects a slight reshuffle of the Government of the Republic within the coming hours. For the paper this 'new restructuring could see some key politicians ' who are counted among the most loyal members of the pro-Joseph Kabila party, PPRD - called back into office.' Of these the paper mentions Mr. Augustin Katumba Mwanke, who is expected to become, 'save a last minute change, the new Minister of the Interior, Decentralisation and Security.' According to the paper, Mr. Mwanke is to take over from Theophile Mbemba, who is slated to replace Philomène Omatuku as Vice President of the National Assembly. Omatuku, who was ' Acting President of the ACL-PT [or former Parliament], will likely be in charge of the Ministry of Energy,' the paper says. It also mentions that leaders of Civil Society, like those of the RCD-KML, are holding talks, after their Vice-Ministers were appointed to the provincial administration.
L'OBSERVATEUR, for its part, devotes its front page to Monday's celebration of the 7th anniversary of the liberation of the Democratic Republic of the Congo 'the despicable dictatorship of Mobutu.' Without the May 17, 1997 liberation, the paper suggests, 'chances are there could never have been such a thing as a transitional government established under the Global and All-Inclusive Agreement and including various protest groups, who, at the time of the all-powerful Mobutu Sese Seko, lacked the courage to stand up to him.'
LE POTENTIEL, like most of today's papers, announces that the UN Security Council expressed Friday 'its deep concern' over reports of Rwandan incursions in the east of the DRC. 'In a well-balanced declaration,' the paper notes, the Security Council also expressed alarm following information about an increase in military activities by Rwandan rebels of the FDLR based in Congo's territory. The declaration called on the Governments of the DRC and Rwanda to ' establish security mechanisms along their common borders in order to prevent such incidents in the future.' According to L'AVENIR, the Security Council dismissed both countries without pronouncing in favour of either. LE PHARE, for its part, notes that the Security Council 'finally decided to condemn the Government of Rwanda' by expressing disapproval 'in the face of Rwanda's belligerent attitude and its frequent violations of the DRC territory in disregard of the relevant Security Council resolutions calling for the cessation of Rwandan military activities in eastern DRC.'
L'AVENIR, which points out that this nomination process is unfinished, notes that 'the three deputy governors of Kinshasa and the deputy governor of Equateur for Economic, Financial and Development Issues are yet to be named.'
LE PHARE deplores the fact that there was no woman in the list of governors. 'Not only did the Congolese political class completely failed to incorporate the gender dimension that calls on all States to guarantee that at least 30% of women are present at all decision-making levels, but it looks women will, for a long time still, be used as a stepping stone by male decision-makers,' the paper comments. However, according to L'AVENIR, three women, drawn respectively from the ranks of the former Government, Civil Society and the Political Opposition, were named deputy governors in Equateur, Kasaï Oriental and Maniema.
LA REFERENCE PLUS headlines 'Some Congolese rejoice and some grit their teeth.' This refers in particular to the disappointment expressed by some entities vis-à-vis these nominations. The paper cites, for example, the RCD-National whose leader, Roger Lubala, is said to have threatened to leave the Government after being 'duped by the MLC' concerning the designation of governors. The paper also notes a discontentment among the Maï Maï, who, after being 'deceived', are said to be angry at President Joseph Kabila.
Following the nomination of one Minister and two Vice Ministers to the provincial administration, LE POTENTIEL expects a slight reshuffle of the Government of the Republic within the coming hours. For the paper this 'new restructuring could see some key politicians ' who are counted among the most loyal members of the pro-Joseph Kabila party, PPRD - called back into office.' Of these the paper mentions Mr. Augustin Katumba Mwanke, who is expected to become, 'save a last minute change, the new Minister of the Interior, Decentralisation and Security.' According to the paper, Mr. Mwanke is to take over from Theophile Mbemba, who is slated to replace Philomène Omatuku as Vice President of the National Assembly. Omatuku, who was ' Acting President of the ACL-PT [or former Parliament], will likely be in charge of the Ministry of Energy,' the paper says. It also mentions that leaders of Civil Society, like those of the RCD-KML, are holding talks, after their Vice-Ministers were appointed to the provincial administration.
L'OBSERVATEUR, for its part, devotes its front page to Monday's celebration of the 7th anniversary of the liberation of the Democratic Republic of the Congo 'the despicable dictatorship of Mobutu.' Without the May 17, 1997 liberation, the paper suggests, 'chances are there could never have been such a thing as a transitional government established under the Global and All-Inclusive Agreement and including various protest groups, who, at the time of the all-powerful Mobutu Sese Seko, lacked the courage to stand up to him.'
LE POTENTIEL, like most of today's papers, announces that the UN Security Council expressed Friday 'its deep concern' over reports of Rwandan incursions in the east of the DRC. 'In a well-balanced declaration,' the paper notes, the Security Council also expressed alarm following information about an increase in military activities by Rwandan rebels of the FDLR based in Congo's territory. The declaration called on the Governments of the DRC and Rwanda to ' establish security mechanisms along their common borders in order to prevent such incidents in the future.' According to L'AVENIR, the Security Council dismissed both countries without pronouncing in favour of either. LE PHARE, for its part, notes that the Security Council 'finally decided to condemn the Government of Rwanda' by expressing disapproval 'in the face of Rwanda's belligerent attitude and its frequent violations of the DRC territory in disregard of the relevant Security Council resolutions calling for the cessation of Rwandan military activities in eastern DRC.'
