UN
United Nations Peacekeeping
6 Mar
2009
DRC Press Review
*Original in French
Most of today's press comments on divisions among the officials of the transition over the issue on the sharing of responsibilities within State-owned companies.
Most of today's press comments on divisions among the officials of the transition over the issue on the sharing of responsibilities within State-owned companies.
Almost all political party leaderships raise their tone over the sharing of responsibilities within State-owned companies, an issue that should be addressed in compliance with the terms of the Global and All Inclusive Agreement, announces L'AVENIR, noting 'a general outcry on the part of the RCD, MLC and the Political Opposition.' According to the paper, the RCD accuses President Joseph Kabila of 'deliberately delaying the appointment of new heads of State-run companies, [a process] based on the principles of consensus and inclusion of all the components and entities, in accordance with the Global and All Inclusive Agreement.' Three months ago, the Transitional Government set up an ad hoc commission to deal with the sharing of responsibilities in the provincial administration, the police, intelligence services and State-run companies. But the presidential party, PPRD, and its allies suspended their participation in that commission, the paper recalls. With respect to State-owned companies in particular, the paper notes that the presidential spokesman had announced, on President Kabila's behalf, that these 'companies are not to be shared [among the components], saying that any Congolese with the right profile in terms of integrity, credibility and competence, should be given a chance to run a State-run company.' The MLC and the Political Opposition have criticised President Kabila's position on the sharing of State-run companies responsibilities as a violation of the Global and All Inclusive Agreement, according to the paper.
On the same issue, LE PHARE titles 'Joseph Kabila under cross fires.' According to the paper, MLC leader Jean-Pierre Bemba has referred the issue to the International Committee To Support the Transition (ICST) for it 'to arbitrate and settle the question of the sharing of responsibilities within State-owned companies, public enterprises, the provincial administration and the operational divisions of the national police.'
By referring the issue to the ICST, Jean-Pierre Bemba confirms the stalemate, notes LE PALMARES, stressing that the Vice-President's ' complaint letter to the ICST about Kabila's violations, is the first of its kind.' The paper explains that 'since the two personalities started working together within the 'presidential space', Jean-Pierre Bemba has always quietly suffered thrusts by Joseph Kabila,' notes the paper, concluding that 'from a cold war, the two protagonists have now engaged in an open war.'
While the appointment of new heads of State-run companies is being delayed, LA REFERENCE PLUS lifts the lid on a scandal involving some of the current chief executive officers. Quoting a report of the RCD on these officers' salaries and huge benefits, the paper writes that 'the company leaders receive a salary three times higher than that of the President of the Republic or the Vice Presidents, although these companies bring nothing to the State Treasury.'
According to FORUM DES AS, it is certainly because of this that the political Opposition opposes the idea of extending the terms of the current heads of State-owned companies, most of whom are said to belong to the PPRD. Gathering on Monday at the residence of Vice-President Arthur Z'ahidi Ngoma, some opposition parties and groupings vehemently condemned 'the attempt to maintain indefinitely, and under flimsy pretexts, PPRD officials at the top of State-owned companies.'
LE POTENTIEL notes with satisfaction that 'things get moving' in prelude to elections in 2005. In fact, 'Things might even accelerate, as the Government has adopted the transition roadmap along with the electoral timetable,' the paper speculates. In this perspective, the paper says, the National Assembly has some Herculean works before it. 'The National Assembly, in fact, will have to examine and adopt 16 laws before June 30, 2005. But some of these laws must be passed by December 31 at the latest, notes the paper, referring especially to the amnesty law, the census law and the law on the status and role of the Political Opposition, as well as the budget law, the law on Defence and the Organisation of Armed Forces, and the future Constitution. Equally essential, the following four laws must be adopted by February 28 at the latest: the referendum law, the Electoral law, the territorial decentralisation law and the law on high treason, according to the paper.
On the same issue, LE PHARE titles 'Joseph Kabila under cross fires.' According to the paper, MLC leader Jean-Pierre Bemba has referred the issue to the International Committee To Support the Transition (ICST) for it 'to arbitrate and settle the question of the sharing of responsibilities within State-owned companies, public enterprises, the provincial administration and the operational divisions of the national police.'
By referring the issue to the ICST, Jean-Pierre Bemba confirms the stalemate, notes LE PALMARES, stressing that the Vice-President's ' complaint letter to the ICST about Kabila's violations, is the first of its kind.' The paper explains that 'since the two personalities started working together within the 'presidential space', Jean-Pierre Bemba has always quietly suffered thrusts by Joseph Kabila,' notes the paper, concluding that 'from a cold war, the two protagonists have now engaged in an open war.'
While the appointment of new heads of State-run companies is being delayed, LA REFERENCE PLUS lifts the lid on a scandal involving some of the current chief executive officers. Quoting a report of the RCD on these officers' salaries and huge benefits, the paper writes that 'the company leaders receive a salary three times higher than that of the President of the Republic or the Vice Presidents, although these companies bring nothing to the State Treasury.'
According to FORUM DES AS, it is certainly because of this that the political Opposition opposes the idea of extending the terms of the current heads of State-owned companies, most of whom are said to belong to the PPRD. Gathering on Monday at the residence of Vice-President Arthur Z'ahidi Ngoma, some opposition parties and groupings vehemently condemned 'the attempt to maintain indefinitely, and under flimsy pretexts, PPRD officials at the top of State-owned companies.'
LE POTENTIEL notes with satisfaction that 'things get moving' in prelude to elections in 2005. In fact, 'Things might even accelerate, as the Government has adopted the transition roadmap along with the electoral timetable,' the paper speculates. In this perspective, the paper says, the National Assembly has some Herculean works before it. 'The National Assembly, in fact, will have to examine and adopt 16 laws before June 30, 2005. But some of these laws must be passed by December 31 at the latest, notes the paper, referring especially to the amnesty law, the census law and the law on the status and role of the Political Opposition, as well as the budget law, the law on Defence and the Organisation of Armed Forces, and the future Constitution. Equally essential, the following four laws must be adopted by February 28 at the latest: the referendum law, the Electoral law, the territorial decentralisation law and the law on high treason, according to the paper.
