UN
United Nations Peacekeeping
5 Mar
2009
Press Review
New turmoil in today's local press: Besides the visit of the United Nations Under Secretary-General for Peacekeeping operations, raised by some papers, the majority of the newspapers provide more details on the protests against the recent nominations of governors.
Le Phare, like La Tempête des Tropiques and Le Palmarès, recount the arrival of the United Nations Under Secretary-General for Peacekeeping operations in Kinshasa on Thursday and echoes his declaration on the peace process in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. « The peace process in the DRC remains a priority for the UN», declared Jean-Marie Guéhenno, who is officially visiting the DRC for the fifth time.
Met at the N'Djili International airport by a delegation of the United Nations Mission in the DRC (MONUC) led by William Lancy Swing, and the Vice-Minister of International Cooperation, Trésor Kaputo for the Government, Mr. Guéhenno declared himself satisfied and encouraged by the progress achieved by the DRC peace process. « Many decisions have been made but the task ahead is still huge», he said, alluding among other things, to the formation of the Government, the nominations of governors and vice governors.
Despite the recent publication of a series of decrees nominating the new governors and officers for the national army, the key components of the Transitional Government are at odds. « Within the political Opposition, Parliament Group held a meeting yesterday to protest against the putting in place of the territorial administration. 49 MPs signed a petition calling of the Head of State to reconsider the list submitted by the Political Opposition», announces L'Avenir.
The same paper says «Political Opposition has withdrawn its confidence from Vice-president Z'Ahidi Goma and denied him any mandate to represent it within the DRC institutions. Political Opposition refers to some cheating and says the nominations do not comply either with the spirit or the letter of the All-inclusive agreement. The majority of the MPs of the Political Opposition have asked the Head of State to repeal the nomination of the Vice-Governor in Kinshasa. »
FORUM DES AS says that after a decree to be issued by the Supreme Court of Justice relating to the law on the review of the territorial organisation, President Joseph Kabila will appoint three Vice-governors for the capital city of Kinshasa. « Except dramatic turn of events, Henri Nzuzi (Political Opposition), Mbelu Biocha (Civil Society) and Laurent Batumona (Allied to RCD) will be appointed to assist Jean Kimbunda Mudikela ».
« As a result of the putting-in-place of the territorial administration, verbal and physical acts of violence increase in the copper-producing province of Katanga. », Le Potentiel says under the headline « Deterioration of the situation in Katanga ». The paper refers to « inflammatory declarations and threats calling for violence made by La fédération provinciale de l'Union nationale des fédéralistes congolais (UNAFEC) led by Gabriel Kyungu wa Kumwanza, with a view to making the province difficult to run. »
The paper recalls that President Joseph Kabila appointed Kisula Ngoy of the PPRD (Parti du Peuple pour la Reconstruction et le Développement) as governor of Katanga on 16 May 2004. « According to the power sharing plan, Katanga province should be given to the Maï Maï entity. For Gabriel Kyungu, the fact that the Maï Maï have not benefited from their quota is synonymous with the disruption of the agreement (with UNAFEC) and of the balance as laid in the relevant clauses of the All-inclusive agreement. »
LA TEMPETE DES TROPIQUES headlines « Joseph Kabila in anger. » With this headline, the paper alludes to the letter addressed by president Kabila to MPs and senators Thursday. « The Head of State called on both chambers of parliament to combat the corruption and misappropriation of funds in the public services throughout the country. He deplored the irregularities noted in the management of the public firms. Using his constitutional prerogatives, he asked the Senate and National Assembly to initiate investigations' »
Met at the N'Djili International airport by a delegation of the United Nations Mission in the DRC (MONUC) led by William Lancy Swing, and the Vice-Minister of International Cooperation, Trésor Kaputo for the Government, Mr. Guéhenno declared himself satisfied and encouraged by the progress achieved by the DRC peace process. « Many decisions have been made but the task ahead is still huge», he said, alluding among other things, to the formation of the Government, the nominations of governors and vice governors.
Despite the recent publication of a series of decrees nominating the new governors and officers for the national army, the key components of the Transitional Government are at odds. « Within the political Opposition, Parliament Group held a meeting yesterday to protest against the putting in place of the territorial administration. 49 MPs signed a petition calling of the Head of State to reconsider the list submitted by the Political Opposition», announces L'Avenir.
The same paper says «Political Opposition has withdrawn its confidence from Vice-president Z'Ahidi Goma and denied him any mandate to represent it within the DRC institutions. Political Opposition refers to some cheating and says the nominations do not comply either with the spirit or the letter of the All-inclusive agreement. The majority of the MPs of the Political Opposition have asked the Head of State to repeal the nomination of the Vice-Governor in Kinshasa. »
FORUM DES AS says that after a decree to be issued by the Supreme Court of Justice relating to the law on the review of the territorial organisation, President Joseph Kabila will appoint three Vice-governors for the capital city of Kinshasa. « Except dramatic turn of events, Henri Nzuzi (Political Opposition), Mbelu Biocha (Civil Society) and Laurent Batumona (Allied to RCD) will be appointed to assist Jean Kimbunda Mudikela ».
« As a result of the putting-in-place of the territorial administration, verbal and physical acts of violence increase in the copper-producing province of Katanga. », Le Potentiel says under the headline « Deterioration of the situation in Katanga ». The paper refers to « inflammatory declarations and threats calling for violence made by La fédération provinciale de l'Union nationale des fédéralistes congolais (UNAFEC) led by Gabriel Kyungu wa Kumwanza, with a view to making the province difficult to run. »
The paper recalls that President Joseph Kabila appointed Kisula Ngoy of the PPRD (Parti du Peuple pour la Reconstruction et le Développement) as governor of Katanga on 16 May 2004. « According to the power sharing plan, Katanga province should be given to the Maï Maï entity. For Gabriel Kyungu, the fact that the Maï Maï have not benefited from their quota is synonymous with the disruption of the agreement (with UNAFEC) and of the balance as laid in the relevant clauses of the All-inclusive agreement. »
LA TEMPETE DES TROPIQUES headlines « Joseph Kabila in anger. » With this headline, the paper alludes to the letter addressed by president Kabila to MPs and senators Thursday. « The Head of State called on both chambers of parliament to combat the corruption and misappropriation of funds in the public services throughout the country. He deplored the irregularities noted in the management of the public firms. Using his constitutional prerogatives, he asked the Senate and National Assembly to initiate investigations' »
