UN
United Nations Peacekeeping
4 Mar
2009
Press Review
Today's local press spotlight is on President Joseph Kabila's interview with the Congolese press during which he addressed the Olenghankoy dossier, the appointment of governors and vice-governors in provinces, and the controversy over his address to the Belgian Senate and elections
While some debates on what is termed the «Olenghankoy dossier» are ongoing, others have propped up and enflamed the presidential circle, namely: the order on the seizure of petroleum products by Vice-President Jean-Pierre Bemba, contradicted by Vice President Yerodia Abdoulaye Ndombasi; the questioning of Vice-President Arthur Z'Ahidi Ngoma's negotiations with civil servants and other Government staff by the Economic and Finance Commission led by Jean-Pierre Bemba. The latter describes the negotiations as an offense due to a lack of foresight. « There was no political cant at Palais de la Nation on Sunday; Joseph Kabila received local press Editors and heads of national local papers and responded to all their questions, even the most embarrassing», highlights Le Phare.
« We should know that the thorny issue pitting Jean-Pierre Bemba against Joseph Olenghankoy is not a crisis but a minor communication problem that may be sorted out tomorrow (Tuesday.) And tomorrow's Cabinet meeting will face an acid test; we will then know whether the storm has definitely been calmed down... », writes the paper.
« How did Vice-President Arthur Z'Ahidi Ngoma came to agree on a salary package coming to over a billion dollars, for the civil servants only? », wondered representatives of local media. Asked this question, Joseph Kabila responded: «Vice-President Z'Ahidi was officially mandated by the Cabinet to hold negotiations and he must present his report to the latter. » « The same applies to Yerodia Abdoulaye Ndombasi's dossier which the medias mention a lot, regarding the seizure of petroleum stock. He should present his report in the Cabinet meeting», points out Le Phare.
As regards the new territorial administration, further writes Le Palmarès, Joseph Kabila confirmed, « governors in provinces will be appointed by late February; criminals and thieves will not be appointed; the expected appointments will be done in accordance with the All-inclusive Agreement. » Referring to his speech to the Belgian Senate: « I can not explain why the issue made passions run high. I did betrayed neither Patrice Lumumba nor Laurent-Désiré Kabila... I did not mention the colonial nor the independence eras, nor yet the circumstances surrounding the independence nor the dictatorship period. Nat at all! I was talking about the future. »
The Congolese Head of State also declared himself « concerned» about the elections, alluding to the respect for the time limit and the delay noted in the reforms that are more and more criticized by the CIAT (International Committee for the Support of the Transition.) « Not only the CIAT; I also reacted, in writing, to the National Assembly. Since then, the National Assembly adopted between 4 and 5 laws, more particularly the ones concerning the institutions for the support of the democracy», he highlighted.
In this development, La Tempête des Tropiques raises the proposal of the League of Voters (a non-government organization of the Civil Society) submitted to CIAT, suggesting to the Joint Parliamentary Commission the creation of an Electoral General Secretary office comprising « exclusively, experts who should lead the different sub-commissions of the Independent Electoral Commission (CEI.) »
Le Phare further publishes a memorandum addressed by the DRC Bishops to the United Nations Secretary-General, « demanding, among other things, the signing by all the Congolese belligerents of an End-of-War declaration, the creation of an international solidarity fund, non-refundable, for the DRC to repair the damages left by the war and reconstruct the country... »
« We should know that the thorny issue pitting Jean-Pierre Bemba against Joseph Olenghankoy is not a crisis but a minor communication problem that may be sorted out tomorrow (Tuesday.) And tomorrow's Cabinet meeting will face an acid test; we will then know whether the storm has definitely been calmed down... », writes the paper.
« How did Vice-President Arthur Z'Ahidi Ngoma came to agree on a salary package coming to over a billion dollars, for the civil servants only? », wondered representatives of local media. Asked this question, Joseph Kabila responded: «Vice-President Z'Ahidi was officially mandated by the Cabinet to hold negotiations and he must present his report to the latter. » « The same applies to Yerodia Abdoulaye Ndombasi's dossier which the medias mention a lot, regarding the seizure of petroleum stock. He should present his report in the Cabinet meeting», points out Le Phare.
As regards the new territorial administration, further writes Le Palmarès, Joseph Kabila confirmed, « governors in provinces will be appointed by late February; criminals and thieves will not be appointed; the expected appointments will be done in accordance with the All-inclusive Agreement. » Referring to his speech to the Belgian Senate: « I can not explain why the issue made passions run high. I did betrayed neither Patrice Lumumba nor Laurent-Désiré Kabila... I did not mention the colonial nor the independence eras, nor yet the circumstances surrounding the independence nor the dictatorship period. Nat at all! I was talking about the future. »
The Congolese Head of State also declared himself « concerned» about the elections, alluding to the respect for the time limit and the delay noted in the reforms that are more and more criticized by the CIAT (International Committee for the Support of the Transition.) « Not only the CIAT; I also reacted, in writing, to the National Assembly. Since then, the National Assembly adopted between 4 and 5 laws, more particularly the ones concerning the institutions for the support of the democracy», he highlighted.
In this development, La Tempête des Tropiques raises the proposal of the League of Voters (a non-government organization of the Civil Society) submitted to CIAT, suggesting to the Joint Parliamentary Commission the creation of an Electoral General Secretary office comprising « exclusively, experts who should lead the different sub-commissions of the Independent Electoral Commission (CEI.) »
Le Phare further publishes a memorandum addressed by the DRC Bishops to the United Nations Secretary-General, « demanding, among other things, the signing by all the Congolese belligerents of an End-of-War declaration, the creation of an international solidarity fund, non-refundable, for the DRC to repair the damages left by the war and reconstruct the country... »
