UN
United Nations Peacekeeping
4 Mar
2009
Press Review 9 February 2004
The major news in today's local press revolves around President Joseph Kabila's trip to Europe, the controversy around reference to the ''Olenghankoy's dossier'', and the suspension of the South Kivu governor by the Government.
President Joseph Kabila, begins his visit to Belgium today, announces La Tempête des Tropiques on its front page. The paper reports that this is « the first visit by the Congolese Head of State to Europe since the Transitional Government was put in place. » This Monday, Joseph Kabila « is to have breakfast with about thirty Belgian heads of companies. Tomorrow, he is to meet with the Belgian king, Albert II. »
L'Observateur notes « President Joseph Kabila will review with different Belgian authorities, the DRC transitional process, the formation of the Congolese restructured and integrated national army and police as well as DRC's reconstruction. The Head of State intends to call on Belgium to make a broad-scale investment into the process, which will lead to the organization of free, democratic and transparent elections. »
Controversy is ongoing in Kinshasa within the Government's political components about what La Tempête des Tropiques and Le Potentiel refer to as the « Olenghankoy's dossier. » The Movement for the Liberation of Congo (MLC) continues demanding the removal of the Minister of Transport, Joseph Olenghankoy, « accused of making discourteous comments » against Vice-President Jean-Pierre Bemba. Called upon to sort out the issue on Sunday, « a meeting of group B of the Political Opposition (to which Mr. Olenghankoy is a member) ended in confusion», announces La Tempête des Tropiques. « The Political Opposition decided not to make any decisions» indicates Le Potentiel. According to the paper, echoing a press release issued by the Political Opposition, Minister Olenghankoy's political persuasion considered that «it was in the interest of the component to refrain from taking any position one way of another, while waiting for Jean-Pierre Bemba's reply to Joseph Olenghankoy's letter. » According to the Political Opposition, Mr. Olenghankoy wrote a letter to Vice-President Jean-Pierre Bemba denying the statement attributed him...»Le Palmarès, in turn, says « thanks to the ongoing initiatives behind the scenes, a solution will soon be reached. »
Le Potentiel further raises the Bukavu incidents of Tuesday, 3 February 2004, in South Kivu province, as a result of the arms cache found in the residence of governor Chiribanya Chirimwami. This paper publishes the report of the Saturday 7 February Cabinet meeting that relieved Mr. Chirimwami of his post. « The essential lesson to learn from Chiribanya's eviction is that Government authority is gradually setting in throughout the national territory», says the paper. The headlines in La Tempête des Tropiques read: «Removed, the South Kivu ex-governor would like to be reassured». «Dismissed from his duties, the former governor of South Kivu province accepted to hand over all weapons in his possession as of today Monday 9 February», writes the paper.
L'Observateur notes « President Joseph Kabila will review with different Belgian authorities, the DRC transitional process, the formation of the Congolese restructured and integrated national army and police as well as DRC's reconstruction. The Head of State intends to call on Belgium to make a broad-scale investment into the process, which will lead to the organization of free, democratic and transparent elections. »
Controversy is ongoing in Kinshasa within the Government's political components about what La Tempête des Tropiques and Le Potentiel refer to as the « Olenghankoy's dossier. » The Movement for the Liberation of Congo (MLC) continues demanding the removal of the Minister of Transport, Joseph Olenghankoy, « accused of making discourteous comments » against Vice-President Jean-Pierre Bemba. Called upon to sort out the issue on Sunday, « a meeting of group B of the Political Opposition (to which Mr. Olenghankoy is a member) ended in confusion», announces La Tempête des Tropiques. « The Political Opposition decided not to make any decisions» indicates Le Potentiel. According to the paper, echoing a press release issued by the Political Opposition, Minister Olenghankoy's political persuasion considered that «it was in the interest of the component to refrain from taking any position one way of another, while waiting for Jean-Pierre Bemba's reply to Joseph Olenghankoy's letter. » According to the Political Opposition, Mr. Olenghankoy wrote a letter to Vice-President Jean-Pierre Bemba denying the statement attributed him...»Le Palmarès, in turn, says « thanks to the ongoing initiatives behind the scenes, a solution will soon be reached. »
Le Potentiel further raises the Bukavu incidents of Tuesday, 3 February 2004, in South Kivu province, as a result of the arms cache found in the residence of governor Chiribanya Chirimwami. This paper publishes the report of the Saturday 7 February Cabinet meeting that relieved Mr. Chirimwami of his post. « The essential lesson to learn from Chiribanya's eviction is that Government authority is gradually setting in throughout the national territory», says the paper. The headlines in La Tempête des Tropiques read: «Removed, the South Kivu ex-governor would like to be reassured». «Dismissed from his duties, the former governor of South Kivu province accepted to hand over all weapons in his possession as of today Monday 9 February», writes the paper.
