Democratic Republic of Congo

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) on Wednesday took over the chairmanship of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) during the 42nd Ordinary SADC Summit held in Kinshasa.

Malawi has been chairing the regional block for the last one year 2021-2022 under the leadership of President Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera.

Ushering in a new era of SADC leadership, President of DRC Félix Tshisekedi in his acceptance speech said he would be active in implementing programs to develop infrastructure and services in the region.

“I would be active in implementing programs to develop infrastructure and services in the region that is directly linked to our main strategies to stimulate economic integration and eradicate poverty in the SADC region,” he said.

At the same time, the President of Namibia Dr. Hage Geingob took over the chairmanship of SADC Organ on Peace, Defence and Security.

The developments come months after DRC was officially admitted to the East African Community regional block after signing the treaty of accession becoming the 7th member.

SADC

The Southern African Development Community (SADC) is a Regional Economic Community comprising 16 Member States; Angola, Botswana, Comoros, Democratic Republic of Congo, Eswatini, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, United Republic Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

It’s mission is to promote sustainable and equitable economic growth and socio-economic development through efficient, productive systems, deeper cooperation and integration, good governance and durable peace and security.

Lawmakers in the Democratic Republic of Congo, DRC, on Wednesday elected Jeanine Mabunda as head of the national assembly.

Mabunda was the only candidate fielded for the position after her main opponent, Henri Thomas Lokondo, was disqualified. The main opposition boycotted the process citing political manoeuvering.

The new speaker belongs to the Common Forum for Congo, FCC coalition, which is led by former president Joseph Kabila. She also got the backing of president Tshisekedi’s CACHcoalition.

She becomes the first woman to occupy the top legislative seat. She is the sixth substantive speaker and takes over from Aubin Minaku – speaker between 2012 – 2019.

“It is done!” she said in a tweet after she was duly elected. She had earlier in her address to lawmakers promised to work with all parts of the legislative chamber in the interest of citizens.

Among other roles, she has served as Minister of Industry and advisor in the fight against sexual violence and the recruitment of child soldiers under Kabila’s presidency. She is also leader of the women’s league in Kabila’s party, the PPRD.

The lawmakers – 500 in total – had gathered since Wednesday morning to elect the president of the National Assembly. Jeanine Mabunda, who formerly chaired the Industry Promotion Fund (FPI), takes the role whiles she will be deputized by the ruling UDPS’s Jean-Marc Kabund.

With the election of a leader for the National Assembly, the next important step being awaited is the nomination of a Prime Minister for the country, four months into Tshisekedi’s presidency.

The main opposition led by the Lamuka coalition had decided to boycott the vote to protest against the “majority coalition” which involves the supporters of President Felix Tshisekedi and his predecessor Joseph Kabila.

Lamuka’s candidate in the December 2018 polls, Martin Fayulu, still insists that he is the rightful winner of the first post-Kabila polls. He is widely regarded as having won the vote but a poll petition he filed was dismissed by the courts.

DRC To Chair SADC Committee

DRC Parliament elects woman speaker, Jeanine Mabunda