Last weekend's cabinet reshuffle is diversely commented by today's local press.
President Joseph Kabila made an 'umpteenth technical cabinet reshuffle,' reports Le Potentiel. Just a slight technical readjustment, while Congolese 'were impatiently expecting a real cabinet reshuffle,' writes Le Palmarès [pro opposition paper] with regret. Aside from 'some minor changes that did not take into consideration the criteria of political competence - one may conclude that the cabinet team has been retained,' says Le Potentiel, pro-opposition paper. As an example, 'none of the ministers interpellated [by the parliament] and proven incompetent have been removed despite their obvious mismanagement as noticed by the national and international communities,' highlights Forum des As [pro-opposition]. This is a clear indication that 'President Kabila did not take into consideration any of the recommendations issued by the National Assembly,' points out La Tempête des Tropiques. 'What can one therefore expect from such an operation where none of the major changes expected has been made ' what was its purpose then',' wonders Le Phare, pro-UDPS.
We should bear in mind that the cabinet reshuffle 'was governed by the tough rationale of components and political entities, such as issued by the inter-Congolese talks, the founding framework of the ongoing transition,' notes Le Potentiel. 'The Head of State does not have the prerogative to take alone the initiative to reshuffle the cabinet (') He has to comply with the all-inclusive Agreement and convey [MPs' recommendations] to the presidential circle in which all the components, entities and civil society are represented,' explains L'Avenir, pro-PPRD, president Kabila's party. It is not a minor event when 'a Minister of Finance is replaced; it is per se a major event,' notes L'Observateur. In other terms, last Friday's reshuffle, 'which is at its beginning, was a substantial cabinet reshuffle,' says L'Observateur [pro PPRD]. Moreover, 'Kabila shall proceed with the reshuffle which has become imperative. He should know deep down inside that he can not lead the country to the elections with a government constantly criticized,' reports L'Observateur.
At the National Assembly, proceedings on the draft electoral law have been postponed. 'The last Friday's plenary of the National Assembly [did not review the draft] contrary to what was laid in the agenda,' says Le Potentiel. The draft was referred to 'the political, administrative and legal commission' reports Forum des As. We can therefore rightly assume that 'the Congolese Government and Parliament are not apparently considering as a matter of urgency the finalising of the last laws preconditioning the ballots,' writes Le Potentiel. Yet, everybody is persuaded that 'any strategy likely to implicitly or explicitly postpone the elections or organize partial or selective elections will not work,' warns Le Potentiel, echoing Belgian ambassador to the DRC.
'Elections will not be held without UDPS,' says Le Palmarès, echoing the head of UDPS national committee, Valentin Mubake. This political party further 'appealed to its members to block the road to electoral adventurism (') by signing a petition to this end, ahead of 18 December, the date set for the constitutional referendum,' says Le Palmarès.
In other news, 'the three murderers of journalist Franck Kangundu and his spouse were to be presented to the press this morning,' writes L'Observateur. The three 'gangsters, elements of the FARDC were arrested by the Rapid Intervention Police,' adds L'Observateur.
We should bear in mind that the cabinet reshuffle 'was governed by the tough rationale of components and political entities, such as issued by the inter-Congolese talks, the founding framework of the ongoing transition,' notes Le Potentiel. 'The Head of State does not have the prerogative to take alone the initiative to reshuffle the cabinet (') He has to comply with the all-inclusive Agreement and convey [MPs' recommendations] to the presidential circle in which all the components, entities and civil society are represented,' explains L'Avenir, pro-PPRD, president Kabila's party. It is not a minor event when 'a Minister of Finance is replaced; it is per se a major event,' notes L'Observateur. In other terms, last Friday's reshuffle, 'which is at its beginning, was a substantial cabinet reshuffle,' says L'Observateur [pro PPRD]. Moreover, 'Kabila shall proceed with the reshuffle which has become imperative. He should know deep down inside that he can not lead the country to the elections with a government constantly criticized,' reports L'Observateur.
At the National Assembly, proceedings on the draft electoral law have been postponed. 'The last Friday's plenary of the National Assembly [did not review the draft] contrary to what was laid in the agenda,' says Le Potentiel. The draft was referred to 'the political, administrative and legal commission' reports Forum des As. We can therefore rightly assume that 'the Congolese Government and Parliament are not apparently considering as a matter of urgency the finalising of the last laws preconditioning the ballots,' writes Le Potentiel. Yet, everybody is persuaded that 'any strategy likely to implicitly or explicitly postpone the elections or organize partial or selective elections will not work,' warns Le Potentiel, echoing Belgian ambassador to the DRC.
'Elections will not be held without UDPS,' says Le Palmarès, echoing the head of UDPS national committee, Valentin Mubake. This political party further 'appealed to its members to block the road to electoral adventurism (') by signing a petition to this end, ahead of 18 December, the date set for the constitutional referendum,' says Le Palmarès.
In other news, 'the three murderers of journalist Franck Kangundu and his spouse were to be presented to the press this morning,' writes L'Observateur. The three 'gangsters, elements of the FARDC were arrested by the Rapid Intervention Police,' adds L'Observateur.
