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DRC: Will new Prime Minister advise Tshisekedi against war?
President
Felix Tshisekedi of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has appointed Judith
Suminwa Tuluka, 56, as new Prime Minister replacing Jean-Michel Sama Lukonde
who resigned in late February as a legal requirement after he won a
parliamentary seat.
Suminwa,
DRC's first female to hold the position, served as the Minister for Planning
since March 2023. She holds master’s degree in applied economics from Belgium,
and is a member of the ruling party, UDPS. She was appointed following weeks of
uncertainty, with Tshisekedi searching for a majority coalition in the National
Assembly - a key step before a prime minister could be named and a government
formed.
At the
moment, Suminwa’s heavy task would be to form a new government in a coalition
formed between the President's party, UDPS, and hundreds of political parties.
The
new government will face a deteriorating conflict and humanitarian crisis in
eastern DRC among other national problems that Tshisekedi failed to solve in
his first term.
"I
am aware of the great responsibility. We will work for peace and the
development of the country. I know that the task and the challenges are
immense. But together, with the Head of State, the government and the support
of the Congolese people, we will succeed," Suminwa said on national
television following her appointment.
Tshisekedi
failed to fulfill his promises in his first term. These included curbing
endemic corruption, rebuilding the economy, tackling deep inequalities and
dealing with insecurity.
Insecurity
in eastern DRC is a problem that Tshisekedi’s new government looks not
determined to address despite all the posturing.
Will
the new Prime Minister will advise Tshisekedi to end war and engage in dialogue
to solve the security crisis, which has escalated since late 2021?
Regional
and continental leaders insisted that the long lasting conflict in eastern DRC
can only be solved politically, through dialogue between all the concerned
parties. But Tshisekedi opted for war over peace, bringing forces from more
than a dozen countries to fight M23 rebels.
Sources
in Kinshasa said that Tshisekedi took enough time thinking of an ‘appropriate’
politician to be Prime Minister. For Tshisekedi, the best Prime Minister is the
one who will be under his control, who is not going to challenge his decisions
that have been heavily criticized by Congolese opposition leaders as well as
foreign countries.
Is
this what Suminwa is in place for then? The writing is on the wall. The
appointment of the economist and former planning minister, whose first priority
should be to tackle the security crisis in eastern DRC raised some hope. But
Tshisekedi’s agenda in the past year, especially, left no doubts as to what the
future holds for the volatile east.
Addressing
the nation in her inaugural speech aired on state television, she pledged to
prioritize peace and development efforts, particularly in the conflict-ridden
eastern provinces.
But
Tshisekedi who secured reelection for a second term last December, has
reiterated his commitment to antagonising neighboring Rwanda which he alleges
is backing the M23 rebels operating in eastern DRC, allegations denied by
Rwandan authorities.
Tuluka's appointment might represent a historic milestone in Congolese politics and underscore the importance of gender equality and women's empowerment in national leadership but the new Congolese Prime Minister faces a formidable task of steering the nation towards stability and prosperity amidst daunting challenges, including her President’s penchant for war.
