President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo Installs New Prime Minister

President Tshisekedi, who appointed Kyenge as Prime Minister. (Flickr Commons)

Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) President Felix Tshisekedi appointed Jean-Michel Sama Lukonde Kyenge as the new Prime Minister of the DRC on February 15 to fill a vacancy caused by the resignation of the prior prime minister. The results of a majority vote in the National Assembly of the DRC constitutionally forced Sylvestre Ilunga Ilunkamba, the prior prime minister, to resign following a censure. This move is yet another in Tshisekedi’s attempts to work away at the power sharing measures that he signed with his predecessor’s party upon winning a contested election in 2018.

Tshisekedi’s predecessor, Joseph Kabila, ascended to power 10 days following the assasination of his father in 2001, who had gained power through the coup of the prior president, Mobutu. Kabila did hold elections before 2018, but many international observers casted doubt on the credibility of the election process. Although the 2018 election was not free from irregularities, it led to Tshisekedi becoming president with members of the pro-Kabila party (FCC) maintaining a hold on the major ministries and cabinet positions. This power sharing agreement resulted in a divided government that struggled to act decisively on issues, including the increasing violence in the eastern regions of the country. According to the Institute for Security Studies, this split was worsened by Kabila’s intention to run again in 2023, which put pressure on FCC members to avoid aiding the new incumbent president so as to not hurt Kabila’s chances.

Tshisekedi gave a speech regarding the problems that his party, Cap for Change (CACH), was facing and ultimately announced the end of the power-sharing agreement in December 2020. Soon after, a slim majority of 281 of 481 present members voted out the FCC leader of the lower house of parliament, the National Assembly, signalling a shift away from the FCC and towards the CACH. This trend was followed by the removal of the prime minister, and most recently, the ousting of the head of the Senate on February 5. This consolidation of power under Tshisekedi should clear roadblocks in his focus on serious issues plaguing the African country, including eastern violence, a potential return of Ebola in the country, major infrastructure programs, electoral reform, and securing financial support from the International Monetary Fund.

While there are many problems for Tshisekedi to handle, the new prime minister is one fewer issue for the beleaguered president. Kyenge was previously the head of the state mining company, and is an ally of the president, despite hailing from the state of Katanga.

Even as the power seems to be shifting hands, many in the DRC are unsure if this shift means a real change for the better, or if things will be worse off, especially with the armed violence in the east. According to Onesphore Sematumba from the International Crisis Group (ICG), even though some in the capital Kinshasa might feel some relief at the departure of the FCC from power, more are concerned about the new government’s ability to unite the fractured state.