UN
United Nations Peacekeeping
5 Mar
2009
Press Review
MPs at odds over the adoption of the law on the organisation and functioning of the national army is the dominant issue covered by most of today's local papers.
LE PALMARES reports that last Saturday's plenary of the National Assembly was unusually ''stormy'' with ''heated exchange'' during the discussion of article 126 of the law on the organisation and functioning of the national army. ''MPs had to specify at the bottom of the article whether the head of state must have a special division comprised of more or less 15,000 troops during the transitional period or whether he should just have a 3,500 to 4,000-troop brigade'', the paper says, further indicating that the issue ''naturally'' made passions run high in the meeting hall. The paper highlights in this connection, that ''there were two diametrically opposite sides using strongly-worded arguments''.
LE POTENTIEL reported on the same issue, adding that one side was ''pro-Kabila'' and believed ''the elite body to be tasked for the president's security should be the size of a division comprising 15,000 troops''. For them, the president's security is ''of utmost importance'' and must be ''maximal''. The paper however notes that the majority of the National Assembly, which constitutes the second side, ''is opposed to the thesis arguing that the DRC aspires to a Rule of Law rather than a tailor-made constitution in favour of an individual new army''. They say that this would be a sort of ''an army within the army that will be out of the control of the FARDC (Congolese armed forces) authority, under pretext of assuring president's security'', the paper notes, further revealing that by 169 votes to 130, MPs opted for a presidential guard the size of a brigade. This led the pro-president MPs to suspend their participation in the national Assembly's session, the paper says.
With the withdrawal of the pro-president MPs, the Congolese transition faces a new impasse, LE PHARE says, indicating that this ''would make it impossible for the National Assembly to hold a commission-level or plenary meetings. The paper points out that ''under the terms of the all-inclusive agreement, when a component or entity quits a public institution, the Parliament should automatically stop functioning''. The paper therefore notes, ''the National Assembly should therefore not resume its activities as long as pro-Kabila MPs continue are absent''.
In the meantime, LA REFERENCE PLUS reports Joseph Kabila has cleaned up the army and his entourage, alluding to yesterday's decree signed by president Kabila ''reorganising the Special Group tasked for the Presidential Security (GSSP) and military affairs'' and ''reshuffling the armed forces with the naming of a new FARDC (Congolese armed forces) chief of staff''. The paper writes that the ''departing admiral Liwanga Mata Nyamunyobo is replaced by Major General Kisempia Sungilanga Lombe who is called upon to run the general integrated army staff''. Apart from Admiral Liwanga, Generals Jean-Claude Kifwa, GSSP commander and Damas Kabulo, chief of the head of state's military affairs have also been removed of their duties, LA REFERENCE PLUS further says.
L'AVENIR, in turn, believes ''that beyond the concerns about DRC's reunification at every level, the recent events in Bukavu may have caused the changes made within the FARDC''. The paper says that the failed coup on 11 June is making victims'the presidential guard commander and the head of president's military affairs were suspended ''for reasons of investigation''. FORUM DES AS underscores, without further details, that by reorganising his military court, ''the head of state is raising his popularity level''.
Under the headline 'War in Kamanyola' L'OBSERVATEUR reports violent clashes since Sunday in this district, situated about 62 Km from Bukavu, pitting the Congolese armed forces against the dissident soldiers led by colonel Jules Mutebutsi. According to the paper, Mutebutsi and his troops who reportedly received military reinforcement from Rwanda are ''allegedly caught in a vice by general Mbuza Mabe's troops who continue heading for Kamanyola district''.
Tshisekedi is the favourite of Kinshasa residents, LA TEMPETE DES TROPIQUES reports echoing an opinion poll conducted by the 'Bureau d'études, de recherches et de consulting international' (Berci). ''Then comes the Head of State, Joseph Kabila with 13% '', the paper says.
LE POTENTIEL reported on the same issue, adding that one side was ''pro-Kabila'' and believed ''the elite body to be tasked for the president's security should be the size of a division comprising 15,000 troops''. For them, the president's security is ''of utmost importance'' and must be ''maximal''. The paper however notes that the majority of the National Assembly, which constitutes the second side, ''is opposed to the thesis arguing that the DRC aspires to a Rule of Law rather than a tailor-made constitution in favour of an individual new army''. They say that this would be a sort of ''an army within the army that will be out of the control of the FARDC (Congolese armed forces) authority, under pretext of assuring president's security'', the paper notes, further revealing that by 169 votes to 130, MPs opted for a presidential guard the size of a brigade. This led the pro-president MPs to suspend their participation in the national Assembly's session, the paper says.
With the withdrawal of the pro-president MPs, the Congolese transition faces a new impasse, LE PHARE says, indicating that this ''would make it impossible for the National Assembly to hold a commission-level or plenary meetings. The paper points out that ''under the terms of the all-inclusive agreement, when a component or entity quits a public institution, the Parliament should automatically stop functioning''. The paper therefore notes, ''the National Assembly should therefore not resume its activities as long as pro-Kabila MPs continue are absent''.
In the meantime, LA REFERENCE PLUS reports Joseph Kabila has cleaned up the army and his entourage, alluding to yesterday's decree signed by president Kabila ''reorganising the Special Group tasked for the Presidential Security (GSSP) and military affairs'' and ''reshuffling the armed forces with the naming of a new FARDC (Congolese armed forces) chief of staff''. The paper writes that the ''departing admiral Liwanga Mata Nyamunyobo is replaced by Major General Kisempia Sungilanga Lombe who is called upon to run the general integrated army staff''. Apart from Admiral Liwanga, Generals Jean-Claude Kifwa, GSSP commander and Damas Kabulo, chief of the head of state's military affairs have also been removed of their duties, LA REFERENCE PLUS further says.
L'AVENIR, in turn, believes ''that beyond the concerns about DRC's reunification at every level, the recent events in Bukavu may have caused the changes made within the FARDC''. The paper says that the failed coup on 11 June is making victims'the presidential guard commander and the head of president's military affairs were suspended ''for reasons of investigation''. FORUM DES AS underscores, without further details, that by reorganising his military court, ''the head of state is raising his popularity level''.
Under the headline 'War in Kamanyola' L'OBSERVATEUR reports violent clashes since Sunday in this district, situated about 62 Km from Bukavu, pitting the Congolese armed forces against the dissident soldiers led by colonel Jules Mutebutsi. According to the paper, Mutebutsi and his troops who reportedly received military reinforcement from Rwanda are ''allegedly caught in a vice by general Mbuza Mabe's troops who continue heading for Kamanyola district''.
Tshisekedi is the favourite of Kinshasa residents, LA TEMPETE DES TROPIQUES reports echoing an opinion poll conducted by the 'Bureau d'études, de recherches et de consulting international' (Berci). ''Then comes the Head of State, Joseph Kabila with 13% '', the paper says.
