UN
United Nations Peacekeeping
4 Mar
2009
DRC Press Review
Kinshasa's press of March 17 devotes its main headlines to the postponement of parliamentary debates on the proposed 2004 State budget, the discussion between the DRC President and his four Vice-Presidents over the nominations within the provincial administration and the investigation relating to the arms caches discovered in the outskirts of Kinshasa on Monday.
Initially planned for March 15, the debates on the proposed 2004 State budget failed to take place. "The lengthy plenary session held Tuesday at the Palais du Peuple produced little result. With the budget for the National Assembly being yet to be discussed in the lower chamber of the Parliament, the MPs considered illogical to open discussions on the 2004 State budget. Also, in order to allow the Congolese people to follow the debates on this budget, which is of interest to the entire nation, the MPs demanded that the sessions be carried live on the National Radio and Television (RTNC)," according to LA TEMPETE DES TROPIQUES.
In the same vein, LE POTENTIEL headlines "Grumbling within the National Assembly." According to the paper, "a lively controversy raged Tuesday at the Palais du Peuple, where a disagreement blocked the two scheduled sessions." Considering the 2003 budget allocations for salaries for the MPs and the Parliament's operating costs, the MPs noted that the execution rate was insignificant. According to them, "the funds allocated for the operating costs were scarcely released, while only one third of the funds allocated for salaries was actually released, and not regularly." For all these "reasons of rationality", the general debates were postponed. However, according to L'AVENIR, "the plenary session is to convene on Wednesday."
Meanwhile, discussions continued between President Kabila and his four Vice-Presidents over what LA REFERENCE PLUS refers to as "The transitional Provincial Administration." According to the paper, "there is no longer any doubt. During their meeting of March 15 over the dossier of the nominations of provincial governors, the President and his four Vice-Presidents reached a final agreement. Generally, the President of the Republic takes the lion's share, while the Political Opposition is left afloat." According to the paper, the initial power-sharing proposals are as follows: for example "PPRD (a pro-Kabila party) takes the city-province of Kinshasa (that is, provides the Governor), while MLC and RCD get the posts of Vice-Governor in charge of economic and administrative issues. MLC obtains the Oriental Province, while RCD is to run the Bas-Congo Province."
"Obviously, not everything has been finalised in the provincial administration sector. For the Mayors of the provincial capitals will temporarily remain in office, as will the Commissioners of districts and the Administrators of territories," the paper notes.
In another development, LE PHARE announces that "yesterday, the national police carried on with their searches at the site where arms caches were found on Monday, in the outskirts of Kinshasa. The operation in the Kingansani quarter led to the discovery of holes inside a compound where loads of arms were buried...Army rifles and ammunitions that were buried by those who wanted to put Kinshasa to fire and the sword."
In the same vein, LE POTENTIEL headlines "Grumbling within the National Assembly." According to the paper, "a lively controversy raged Tuesday at the Palais du Peuple, where a disagreement blocked the two scheduled sessions." Considering the 2003 budget allocations for salaries for the MPs and the Parliament's operating costs, the MPs noted that the execution rate was insignificant. According to them, "the funds allocated for the operating costs were scarcely released, while only one third of the funds allocated for salaries was actually released, and not regularly." For all these "reasons of rationality", the general debates were postponed. However, according to L'AVENIR, "the plenary session is to convene on Wednesday."
Meanwhile, discussions continued between President Kabila and his four Vice-Presidents over what LA REFERENCE PLUS refers to as "The transitional Provincial Administration." According to the paper, "there is no longer any doubt. During their meeting of March 15 over the dossier of the nominations of provincial governors, the President and his four Vice-Presidents reached a final agreement. Generally, the President of the Republic takes the lion's share, while the Political Opposition is left afloat." According to the paper, the initial power-sharing proposals are as follows: for example "PPRD (a pro-Kabila party) takes the city-province of Kinshasa (that is, provides the Governor), while MLC and RCD get the posts of Vice-Governor in charge of economic and administrative issues. MLC obtains the Oriental Province, while RCD is to run the Bas-Congo Province."
"Obviously, not everything has been finalised in the provincial administration sector. For the Mayors of the provincial capitals will temporarily remain in office, as will the Commissioners of districts and the Administrators of territories," the paper notes.
In another development, LE PHARE announces that "yesterday, the national police carried on with their searches at the site where arms caches were found on Monday, in the outskirts of Kinshasa. The operation in the Kingansani quarter led to the discovery of holes inside a compound where loads of arms were buried...Army rifles and ammunitions that were buried by those who wanted to put Kinshasa to fire and the sword."
