Kabila’s Government Rejects Thabo Mbeki As Special Envoy to DRC
Democratic Republic of Congo President Joseph Kabila has rejected President Cyril Ramaphosa’s appointment of former President Thabo Mbeki as South Africa’s Special Envoy to that country. 3 Mbeki’s appointment was confirmed by Ramaphosa’s spokesperson Khusela Diko at the weekend, after the summit of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) in Windhoek. At first Kabila’s government […]
UN chief welcomes DR Congo President’s promise to stand down
The United Nations Secretary-General has commended the President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Joseph Kabila’s decision on Thursday, not to stand in elections scheduled to take place on 23 December. In line with constitutional rules, Mr. Kabila was due to end his mandate as leader of the Central African nation, in 2016. […]
Kabila to step down, names Shadary as successor
The Democratic Republic of Congo’s ruling party on Wednesday named a candidate for long delayed elections due to hold in December this year. Today was the deadline slated by the elections body, CENI, for submission of candidature. The candidate is in the person of Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary, a former minister of interior. His nomination was […]
Congo’s Kabila appoints army chief under U.S., EU sanctions for alleged violence
CONGO’s President Joseph Kabila has appointed a new army chief who is under international sanctions for the violent repression of dissent, raising fears of an imminent crackdown. State television reported on Sunday that Kabila had appointed General John Numbi to the role of inspector general of the Congolese Armed Forces. Numbi has been placed under […]
DR Congo President Kabila is sending signals that he is not willing to relinquish power
FOR nearly two years now, the people of the Democratic Republic of Congo have waited with bated breath to elect a new leader after President Joseph Kabila served his two-term constitutional mandate. National elections have been postponed twice and there is doubt that December 23 2018 will pass with a new president in office, even […]
Congo’s Joseph Kabila delays UN chief’s visit, refuses to see U.S. envoy Haley
CONGOLESE President Joseph Kabila has put off a planned visit this week by U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and refused to see U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley, who diplomats said had also separately planned to visit Kinshasa. Kabila, who succeeded his assassinated father Laurent in 2001, was busy organizing Dec. 23 elections and […]
DRC faces upsurge of violence unless a deal is done with Kabila
AMID a fresh wave of civil unrest in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the international community must question its confidence in President Joseph Kabila to achieve stability in a turbulent region. He has been at the helm since he took over as president in 2001 after his father, Laurent, was assassinated. The young Kabila […]
DRC-South Africa Talks – Zuma Unlikely to Pressure Kabila to Go to the Polls
Observers and many of the Congolese diaspora in South Africa are hoping that President Jacob Zuma will tell DRC President Joseph Kabila it is time to go when they meet in Pretoria on Sunday. But this is unlikely. Kabila’s constitutionally-mandated second term expired last December but he remained in office, insisting that the DRC couldn’t […]
Congolese Threaten to Disrupt Zuma, Kabila Meeting in Pretoria
Members of the Congolese community in South Africa are threatening to disrupt a state visit by President Joseph Kabila because, they say, he is no longer legally in power in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Kabila is set to meet with President Jacob Zuma at the Sefako Makgatho Presidential Guest House in Pretoria on Sunday […]