DR Congo opposition leaders enter power-sharing agreement

Imprimer

Nairobi, Kenya, November 24 (Infosplusgabon) - The main opposition party candidates in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have signed a pre-election power-sharing agreement, which is expected to help create a formidable front against the ruling party candidate, analysts said on Saturday.

 

 

Felix Tshisekedi, president of Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS), signed the power-sharing deal with Vital Kamerhe, president of Union for the Congolese Nation (UNC) in Nairobi.

 

The two candidates created a new political coalition called Cape for Change, which agreed to rotate the presidency for two consecutive terms.

 

According to the agreement, officially publicised by the UNC on its campaign platform, Tshisekedi will fly the coalition's flag on 23 Dec. 2018. Tshisekedi will then appoint Kamerhe, a former National Assembly Speaker, as Prime Minister.

 

The agreement designates Kamerhe as the coalition's campaign director.

 

The agreement has elicited mixed reactions from Kamerhe's support base with some party supporters calling his move wise, while others, rejected the agreement as a waste of time.

 

Earlier, the two leaders walked out of a joint opposition deal to front 62-year old Martin Fayulu as the joint opposition candidate for the presidential poll.

 

According to some party supporters, Tshisekedi and Kamerhe should be blamed if the opposition fails to win the upcoming presidential election because of the divisions within the opposition ranks.

 

Ruling party candidate, Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary, is expected to officially launch his campaign on Saturday.

 

The candidate backed by President Joseph Kabila enjoys the backing of the incumbent party machinery and the power base but has little grassroots backing of his own, according to analysts.

 

Fayulu, on the other hand, has the backing of wealthy politicians, including business magnet Moise Katumbi, former Vice President Jean Pierre Bemba and an established party on the ground.

 

Tshisekedi is the son of the late Ettiene Tshisekedi, veteran politician and opposition leader. He has a national name appeal, according to political analysts, but his experience in politics is  limited.

 

Under the current political power-sharing agreement, Tshisekedi will appoint the Prime Minister from his party if he wins the election. His party will also appoint the Senate President, the Central Bank Governor as well as ministers for Justice and Infrastructure.

 

Kamerhe's party will also appoint representatives to the government if the coalition's candidate wins the poll.

 

Shadary supporters insist that he enjoys the long advantage of having been able to pay grassroots campaign strategies while the opposition candidates were still struggling to agree on a plan.

 

The secretaries general of the parties have applauded the agreement while Tshisekedi said he is expecting new people to join them.

 

 

FIN/INFOSPLUSGABON/KLU/GABON2018

 

 

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