UN
United Nations Peacekeeping
6 Mar
2009
Press Review
Most of today's local papers broadly comment on the resignation of President Kabila's Cabinet Director, Mr. Evariste Boshab. They also go back over Rwanda's threat to invade Eastern DRC.
After his lengthy talks with President Kabila Monday morning, «Professor Evariste Boshab, the President's Cabinet Director handed in his resignation for the sake of his honour and dignity seriously affected by the National Assembly's report», LA REFERENCE PLUS says, echoing a communiqué from the President's office stating that the Head of State received his resignation and reserves the right to take appropriate action, the paper further says.
«Despite the label of bad boys instilled on the Congolese people, there are still respectful people in this country, who are serious about their duties», L'OBSERVATEUR writes. « In a n elegant and dignified gesture», Professor Evariste Boshab handed in his resignation to the Head of State, the paper writes on its front page. The resignation of the Congolese President's Cabinet Director is consecutive to the report issued by the Bakandeja Parliament Commission about the public firms audits, the paper explains. Mr. Boshab « was named by the Commission's report but not heard», the paper says, indicating that « the latter felt compelled to appeal to President Kabila to relieve him of his duties since one cannot assume such high duties with a sullied name». For L'OBSERVATEUR, Evariste Boshab, whose position is « much coveted », was an « efficient and loyal » Cabinet Director.
L'AVENIR also pays tribute to Mr. Boshab, indicating that his resignation is a first besides the one of the former Prime Minister under Mobutu's regime, Professor Lunda Bululu. « Had Evariste Boshab done it before, it could have been likened to a headlong rush. In fact, the Head of State's Cabinet Director who just resigned would have then facilitate the legal proceedings to be initiated, being presumably innocent», the paper writes.
Professor Evariste Boshab's resignation: headlong rush or just a political elegance' LA REFERENCE PLUS wonders, recalling that Mr. Boshab was named by the Commission's report « as a predator and accomplice in the embezzlement of the public funds». Some observers however says « Boshab would have better waited for his master's verdict after the audit's findings. He is just trying to avoid the ridicule ». LE POTENTIEL says, the former Director of the President's Cabinet was « victim of a discriminatory treatment» since he was not heard by Bakandeja commission. LE PHARE quotes some «serious observers» and applauds Evariste Boshab's «elegance, dignity and sense of responsibility».
Clean Hands: Kabila has no choice, LE PHARE titles. « Faced with accusations of being a Non- State and corrupt, Joseph Kabila had no choice but to issue a clear message to the national and international communities. He had to sacrifice his own cabinet director, to make the head of state's move credible», the paper writes.
Evariste Boshab compelled to resign by Joseph Kabila, LE PALMARES says, describing his reasons as « unconvincing» and just an attempt «to turn the situation to his own advantage». By resigning, « Boshab has implicitly admitted his fault », the paper says, denouncing what it refers to as the « play-acting by some press clique». The paper is very hard on those who commend Boshab.« It is just a pity that those who condemned the ''financial scandal'' are involved in for some obvious reasons», LE PALMARES writes.
FORUM DES AS writes « after Evariste Boshab's expected resignation », Nkema Liloo, Kabuya Lumuna'(are) the potential candidates for the post of cabinet director. There are rumours that one of those personalities « who have confirmed and proven expertise from Mobutu's regime» is likely to succeed Mr. Boshab. But «Joseph Kabila's choices are unpredictable; he may chose another personality of stature to run his cabinet», the paper adds.
The suspended ministers following the Bakandeja Commission report raise objections to the head of state's decision. José Endundo (of Public Works and Infrastructures) loudly proclaims his innocence and denounces the procedures leading to their suspension, LA REFERENCE PLUS and LE PALMARES say. José Endundo dismisses the 12 charges against him, FORUM DES AS writes, indicating that Diomi Ndongala of Mines submitted a memorandum to the Head of State responding to every accusation against him by the Bakandeja commission. Diomi Ndongala denounces the cabal formed against him, L'OBSERVATEUR titles. Olenghankoy (of Transports) promises a robust reaction in a news conference, LE PHARE says. Dissents would weaken Bakandeja commission, LE PHARE titles, reporting several flows « in the documents (issued by the commission) submitted to the National Assembly's plenary». All the secrets must be uncovered, the paper highlights, indicating that any attempt to stop half way the move in the right direction would be seen as a «real intellectual and political swindling». The People's Party for Reconstruction and Development (PPRD) led by Joseph Kabila « has already initiated a campaign demanding that audits be conducted in the reunified territories. That is a good thing», the paper says.
The inside story of Kagame's new threat against the DRC, LE PALMARES titles, quoting the Belgian press, notably LE SOIR and LA LIBRE BELGIQUE which revealed Monday that Joseph Kabila had the intention of reassigning the North Kivu Commander of the 8th military region and the Governor Eugène Serufuli, to Kinshasa, for « facilitating the infiltration of Rwandan army into the DRC and the plundering of its resources». Both Belgian papers maintain that Paul Kagame « is furious» and intends to « anticipatively make that part of the country unruly so that Joseph Kabila would not move the two Rwandan accomplices», the paper reports. Paul Kagame is making wrong plans about the DRC, L'AVENIR says, denouncing Rwandan President's pretext of « attacking the Interahamwe », because the Congolese Government is not willing to disarm them. The paper is persuaded that Kigali is looking to plunder the Congolese resources since he can no longer «able to help himself from the resources gained gratuitously in DRC». «Kagame is mistaken for thinking that the Congolese army will not resist him. (') The Congolese minister of Foreign Affairs declared that DRC will not tolerate a new aggression», the paper further says. The FARDC troops (DRC Armed Forces) (will) shortly be (deployed) to North Kivu, to « secure the DRC borders and to prevent the Interahamwe from operating from the Congolese territory», LE PALMARES adds.
Olusengun Obasanjo (is) expected in Kinshasa this week, L'AVENIR announces. Nigerian President and acting President of the African Union is due to meet his Congolese counterpart, before meeting Paul Kagame in Kigali with a view to « settling the crisis between Rwanda and the DRC», the paper adds.
«Despite the label of bad boys instilled on the Congolese people, there are still respectful people in this country, who are serious about their duties», L'OBSERVATEUR writes. « In a n elegant and dignified gesture», Professor Evariste Boshab handed in his resignation to the Head of State, the paper writes on its front page. The resignation of the Congolese President's Cabinet Director is consecutive to the report issued by the Bakandeja Parliament Commission about the public firms audits, the paper explains. Mr. Boshab « was named by the Commission's report but not heard», the paper says, indicating that « the latter felt compelled to appeal to President Kabila to relieve him of his duties since one cannot assume such high duties with a sullied name». For L'OBSERVATEUR, Evariste Boshab, whose position is « much coveted », was an « efficient and loyal » Cabinet Director.
L'AVENIR also pays tribute to Mr. Boshab, indicating that his resignation is a first besides the one of the former Prime Minister under Mobutu's regime, Professor Lunda Bululu. « Had Evariste Boshab done it before, it could have been likened to a headlong rush. In fact, the Head of State's Cabinet Director who just resigned would have then facilitate the legal proceedings to be initiated, being presumably innocent», the paper writes.
Professor Evariste Boshab's resignation: headlong rush or just a political elegance' LA REFERENCE PLUS wonders, recalling that Mr. Boshab was named by the Commission's report « as a predator and accomplice in the embezzlement of the public funds». Some observers however says « Boshab would have better waited for his master's verdict after the audit's findings. He is just trying to avoid the ridicule ». LE POTENTIEL says, the former Director of the President's Cabinet was « victim of a discriminatory treatment» since he was not heard by Bakandeja commission. LE PHARE quotes some «serious observers» and applauds Evariste Boshab's «elegance, dignity and sense of responsibility».
Clean Hands: Kabila has no choice, LE PHARE titles. « Faced with accusations of being a Non- State and corrupt, Joseph Kabila had no choice but to issue a clear message to the national and international communities. He had to sacrifice his own cabinet director, to make the head of state's move credible», the paper writes.
Evariste Boshab compelled to resign by Joseph Kabila, LE PALMARES says, describing his reasons as « unconvincing» and just an attempt «to turn the situation to his own advantage». By resigning, « Boshab has implicitly admitted his fault », the paper says, denouncing what it refers to as the « play-acting by some press clique». The paper is very hard on those who commend Boshab.« It is just a pity that those who condemned the ''financial scandal'' are involved in for some obvious reasons», LE PALMARES writes.
FORUM DES AS writes « after Evariste Boshab's expected resignation », Nkema Liloo, Kabuya Lumuna'(are) the potential candidates for the post of cabinet director. There are rumours that one of those personalities « who have confirmed and proven expertise from Mobutu's regime» is likely to succeed Mr. Boshab. But «Joseph Kabila's choices are unpredictable; he may chose another personality of stature to run his cabinet», the paper adds.
The suspended ministers following the Bakandeja Commission report raise objections to the head of state's decision. José Endundo (of Public Works and Infrastructures) loudly proclaims his innocence and denounces the procedures leading to their suspension, LA REFERENCE PLUS and LE PALMARES say. José Endundo dismisses the 12 charges against him, FORUM DES AS writes, indicating that Diomi Ndongala of Mines submitted a memorandum to the Head of State responding to every accusation against him by the Bakandeja commission. Diomi Ndongala denounces the cabal formed against him, L'OBSERVATEUR titles. Olenghankoy (of Transports) promises a robust reaction in a news conference, LE PHARE says. Dissents would weaken Bakandeja commission, LE PHARE titles, reporting several flows « in the documents (issued by the commission) submitted to the National Assembly's plenary». All the secrets must be uncovered, the paper highlights, indicating that any attempt to stop half way the move in the right direction would be seen as a «real intellectual and political swindling». The People's Party for Reconstruction and Development (PPRD) led by Joseph Kabila « has already initiated a campaign demanding that audits be conducted in the reunified territories. That is a good thing», the paper says.
The inside story of Kagame's new threat against the DRC, LE PALMARES titles, quoting the Belgian press, notably LE SOIR and LA LIBRE BELGIQUE which revealed Monday that Joseph Kabila had the intention of reassigning the North Kivu Commander of the 8th military region and the Governor Eugène Serufuli, to Kinshasa, for « facilitating the infiltration of Rwandan army into the DRC and the plundering of its resources». Both Belgian papers maintain that Paul Kagame « is furious» and intends to « anticipatively make that part of the country unruly so that Joseph Kabila would not move the two Rwandan accomplices», the paper reports. Paul Kagame is making wrong plans about the DRC, L'AVENIR says, denouncing Rwandan President's pretext of « attacking the Interahamwe », because the Congolese Government is not willing to disarm them. The paper is persuaded that Kigali is looking to plunder the Congolese resources since he can no longer «able to help himself from the resources gained gratuitously in DRC». «Kagame is mistaken for thinking that the Congolese army will not resist him. (') The Congolese minister of Foreign Affairs declared that DRC will not tolerate a new aggression», the paper further says. The FARDC troops (DRC Armed Forces) (will) shortly be (deployed) to North Kivu, to « secure the DRC borders and to prevent the Interahamwe from operating from the Congolese territory», LE PALMARES adds.
Olusengun Obasanjo (is) expected in Kinshasa this week, L'AVENIR announces. Nigerian President and acting President of the African Union is due to meet his Congolese counterpart, before meeting Paul Kagame in Kigali with a view to « settling the crisis between Rwanda and the DRC», the paper adds.
