UN
United Nations Peacekeeping
5 Mar
2009
DRC Press Review
Much of today's press in Kinshasa is devoted to the lingering question of nominating provincial governors, along with the security problem in the DRC's capital.
President Joseph Kabila did not appoint new provincial governors over the weekend, though the press had announced Saturday that he would. Lamenting this de facto postponement, LE PALMARES says 'It is really a shame that the President of the Republic has so far failed to fulfil his word of honour given in January 2004 in this respect.' The paper explains that 'the problem is to how to share out the posts among the components and entities, as they continue bickering over provinces and posts of governor or vice-governor (..)There was no mention of this issue in the Council of Ministers meeting's report despite growing impatience among the population. Actually the meeting did consider the question, but failed to reach an agreement. At the root of this indolence is the fear of elections that is caused by the fear of losing privileges.'
'The current negotiations on the nomination of governors and vice-governors illustrate once more the nebulous or factional character of the Political Opposition', FORUM DES AS notes. According to the paper, this component appears divided into two wings with diametrically opposed views. 'The democratic, and republican, wing has moved from virtual to actual political existence. A group of MPs belonging to this wing, in a letter of April 13, asked the Head of State to convene a meeting of the Political Opposition in order to assist them in designating, in transparency, their representatives at the level of the provincial administration. Led by Cléophas Kamitatu, this group refuses to entrust Vice-President Arthur Z'ahidi Ngoma with the task of allocating responsibilities regarding the provincial administration.'
Referring to the debate that a group of lawmakers has launched in the Parliament over amending the Constitution to incorporate 'the idea of a Coordinator of the Government,' L'AVENIR notes that 'The issue is under discussion at several political headquarters [and that] these efforts are already well engaged toward the creation of a post of Executive Coordination of the Transition.' According to the paper, 'With an Executive Coordinator, the 1+4 formula would be put at risk. Such a proposal would bring into question the entire process as undertaken so far. Moreover, it would plant a seed of conflict into the Transition. Obviously the country is drifting toward a 1+1+4 scheme.'
In another development, LE POTENTIEL and LA TEMPETE DES TROPIQUES express concern over persisting insecurity in Kinshasa. Quoting the results of a recent opinion poll conducted by the independent polling group FACILITAS CONSULTING, the papers write: 'Conducted in Kinshasa on April 12-14, 200, this poll shows 26.2% of respondents pointing to unemployment, banditry ad poverty as the causes of the growing insecurity in the Congolese capital. Regarding the misery facing most Congolese, a majority of respondents (35,2%) blame the leaders' bad faith, with 38.8% among them recommending an improvement in salaries as a solution to the social problems confronting Congolese.'
'The current negotiations on the nomination of governors and vice-governors illustrate once more the nebulous or factional character of the Political Opposition', FORUM DES AS notes. According to the paper, this component appears divided into two wings with diametrically opposed views. 'The democratic, and republican, wing has moved from virtual to actual political existence. A group of MPs belonging to this wing, in a letter of April 13, asked the Head of State to convene a meeting of the Political Opposition in order to assist them in designating, in transparency, their representatives at the level of the provincial administration. Led by Cléophas Kamitatu, this group refuses to entrust Vice-President Arthur Z'ahidi Ngoma with the task of allocating responsibilities regarding the provincial administration.'
Referring to the debate that a group of lawmakers has launched in the Parliament over amending the Constitution to incorporate 'the idea of a Coordinator of the Government,' L'AVENIR notes that 'The issue is under discussion at several political headquarters [and that] these efforts are already well engaged toward the creation of a post of Executive Coordination of the Transition.' According to the paper, 'With an Executive Coordinator, the 1+4 formula would be put at risk. Such a proposal would bring into question the entire process as undertaken so far. Moreover, it would plant a seed of conflict into the Transition. Obviously the country is drifting toward a 1+1+4 scheme.'
In another development, LE POTENTIEL and LA TEMPETE DES TROPIQUES express concern over persisting insecurity in Kinshasa. Quoting the results of a recent opinion poll conducted by the independent polling group FACILITAS CONSULTING, the papers write: 'Conducted in Kinshasa on April 12-14, 200, this poll shows 26.2% of respondents pointing to unemployment, banditry ad poverty as the causes of the growing insecurity in the Congolese capital. Regarding the misery facing most Congolese, a majority of respondents (35,2%) blame the leaders' bad faith, with 38.8% among them recommending an improvement in salaries as a solution to the social problems confronting Congolese.'
