UN
United Nations Peacekeeping
4 Mar
2009
Press Review
MLC (Movement for the Liberation of Congo)'s requirements may provoke a crisis within the Transitional Government, feels the Congolese press in Kinshasa which this Tuesday 10 February once more raises ''Olenghankoy's dossier''. Some papers raise President Joseph Kabila's tour to Europe, the general strike initiated by the civil servants and Government agents as well as the defusing tension in Bukavu, South Kivu province, the day after the suspension of (RCD) Goma's governor, Xavier Chiribanya.
The headlines in Le Potentiel paper reads: «MLC takes a harder line», referring to ''Olenghankoy's dossier'' Minister of Transports. According to the paper, « the good offices mission confided on Sunday by the Political Opposition component to senators Cléophas Kamitatu and Cyprien Rwakabuba to reconcile Vice-President Jean-Pierre Bemba and the Minister of Transports Joseph Olenghankoy may come to a sudden end. MLC, holding the videocassette in which the Minister of Transports made the offensive comments against Vice-President Bemba in London, is intransigent. »
For MLC, « the Minister of Transports violated the principles of Government solidarity and cohesion as well as his function's dignity. Considering that through his offensive comments, Minister Olenghankoy damaged the honor of Vice-President Jean-Pierre Bemba, MLC stands by its decision to boycott all the cabinet's meetings attended by the Minister of Transports and calls on the Political Opposition's component to remove the latter from the Government. »
The paper concludes: « We will witness, in the few coming days, serious clashes in the Government leading either to a deadlock for the transition, or the removal of the Minister of Transport from the Government; the latter still benefits from the confidence of his component's Government officials. »
In a press release published by Le Potentiel, MLC recalls the round table discussion organized in London by the Minister of Transports, Joseph Olenghankoy during which, he reportedly: « accused Jean-Pierre Bemba of being corrupt in the dossier about the construction of a new airport (in Kinshasa), condemned the Vice President's hostile attitude in dossier relating to the import of buses which were to relieve the extreme suffering of the population; denounced the support to the World Bank which, according to him, has never contributed to the development of African countries. » Finally, MLC blames Mr. Olenghankoy « for directly implicating the government which, according to him, could not ensure the transport of the buses which he (the Minister of Transports) obtained from Région Wallonne, on the grounds that it would very much be to his personal credit. » « Accusations » which MLC describes as «spurious, false, defamatory. »
« Joseph Olenghankoy shed some light on the tape (containing his comments) last Tuesday at his party's headquarters», which MLC Secretary-General, Thomas Luhaka, to the press presented yesterday, announces Le Phare. « Mr. Olenghankoy is not only expecting the proof made up of the comments he made during a meeting with the Congolese community in London, but the interview in due form... » adds the paper.
President Joseph Kabila is to conclude his tour to Europe tomorrow with Belgium, says L'Avenir. « Yesterday, the Head of State called on Belgian operators from the various sectors to come and invest in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhosftadt, congratulated President Kabila for the progress achieved for the recent months and years. During a breakfast with businessmen, Joseph Kabila explained that the DRC situation was improving in spite of some hitches, like the persisting corruption», writes the paper.
Another issue raised by Forum des As is the non-payment of salaries of the civil service men and Government's employees, who « decided to seal ministers' cabinets. They decided yesterday to go on strike claiming a review of their social situation, namely their salaries. »
Tension has notably decreased In Bukavu following the security actions taken by the government, announces L'Avenir. La Tempête des Tropiques however indicates, « no one knows the whereabouts of the 65 bodyguards who used to ensure the security of the (removed) South-Kivu governor, Xavier Chiribanya and yet they should be handed over to the 10th military region. »
For MLC, « the Minister of Transports violated the principles of Government solidarity and cohesion as well as his function's dignity. Considering that through his offensive comments, Minister Olenghankoy damaged the honor of Vice-President Jean-Pierre Bemba, MLC stands by its decision to boycott all the cabinet's meetings attended by the Minister of Transports and calls on the Political Opposition's component to remove the latter from the Government. »
The paper concludes: « We will witness, in the few coming days, serious clashes in the Government leading either to a deadlock for the transition, or the removal of the Minister of Transport from the Government; the latter still benefits from the confidence of his component's Government officials. »
In a press release published by Le Potentiel, MLC recalls the round table discussion organized in London by the Minister of Transports, Joseph Olenghankoy during which, he reportedly: « accused Jean-Pierre Bemba of being corrupt in the dossier about the construction of a new airport (in Kinshasa), condemned the Vice President's hostile attitude in dossier relating to the import of buses which were to relieve the extreme suffering of the population; denounced the support to the World Bank which, according to him, has never contributed to the development of African countries. » Finally, MLC blames Mr. Olenghankoy « for directly implicating the government which, according to him, could not ensure the transport of the buses which he (the Minister of Transports) obtained from Région Wallonne, on the grounds that it would very much be to his personal credit. » « Accusations » which MLC describes as «spurious, false, defamatory. »
« Joseph Olenghankoy shed some light on the tape (containing his comments) last Tuesday at his party's headquarters», which MLC Secretary-General, Thomas Luhaka, to the press presented yesterday, announces Le Phare. « Mr. Olenghankoy is not only expecting the proof made up of the comments he made during a meeting with the Congolese community in London, but the interview in due form... » adds the paper.
President Joseph Kabila is to conclude his tour to Europe tomorrow with Belgium, says L'Avenir. « Yesterday, the Head of State called on Belgian operators from the various sectors to come and invest in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhosftadt, congratulated President Kabila for the progress achieved for the recent months and years. During a breakfast with businessmen, Joseph Kabila explained that the DRC situation was improving in spite of some hitches, like the persisting corruption», writes the paper.
Another issue raised by Forum des As is the non-payment of salaries of the civil service men and Government's employees, who « decided to seal ministers' cabinets. They decided yesterday to go on strike claiming a review of their social situation, namely their salaries. »
Tension has notably decreased In Bukavu following the security actions taken by the government, announces L'Avenir. La Tempête des Tropiques however indicates, « no one knows the whereabouts of the 65 bodyguards who used to ensure the security of the (removed) South-Kivu governor, Xavier Chiribanya and yet they should be handed over to the 10th military region. »
