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Tshisekedi’s coalition government breaking apart
Disputes between DRC's President Felix Tshisekedi (left) and President of the National Assembly Vital Kamerhe (right) escalated.
Internal wrangles within the
presidential coalition in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Union sacrée are
intensifying as President Felix Tshisekedi sets a new cabinet that will help
him govern in his second term while preparing to stay in power after 2028.
Sources from Union Sacrée
confirmed that despite being candidate of the presidential coalition, after
Vital Kamerhe was elected President of the National Assembly on May 22, members
of the ruling party, UDPS, including Tshisekedi are not happy with him.
“Kamerhe wants to run for
president in 2028, and as President of the National Assembly he cannot allow
Tshisekedi to amend the Constitution in his favor,” explained a source in
Kinshasa who preferred anonymity.
Tshisekedi has been trying his
best to amend the Constitution that limits presidential terms to two.
Even though Kamerhe was
candidate of Union Sacrée, Tshisekedi wanted Christophe Mboso to win Kamerhe’s
position, but Mboso became Vice-President.
According to different sources
in Kinshasa, a large number of UDPS members wished Mboso to be the President of
the National Assembly, as he is loyal to Tshisekedi.
Now Tshisekedi is standing on
the fence after the ‘Coup’ drama to eliminate Kamerhe failed on May 19.
Sources also revealed that
Kamerhe wants courts to launch investigations on former Finance Minister
Nicolas Kazadi and former Defense Minister, now Transport and Communication Minister
Jean-Pierre Bemba over alleged embezzlement. The move increased pressure on
leaders from Union Sacrée, and intensified hate against Kamerhe.
So far, what Tshisekedi’s new government is heading into is unpredictable. But, it is most likely that some Congolese politicians will end up losing their lives, if not ending up unjustifiably behind bars, for Tshisekedi to stay in power.
