By RFIPalled on 26-08-2019Modified on 26-08-2019 at 11:59

In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), after a very long wait, Prime Minister Sylvestre Ilunga Ilunkamba finally revealed tonight the composition of his government, around 5am local time of Kinshasa, three months after his appointment and seven months after the inauguration of President Tshisekedi. Once invested by the National Assembly, this new government will quickly get to work. Several emergencies await new ministers in the areas of health, education and security.

With this new government, Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi had set himself the goal of embodying a rupture. A major challenge, because because of the comfortable majority he has kept on the Parliament, the former president Joseph Kabila takes up almost two thirds of the positions.

In his brief address in the middle of the night, the Prime Minister nevertheless insisted on one point: 76.9% of the chosen personalities have never participated before in a government. It is " the main " innovation according to him. Guarantee of " change ", even if it may have puzzled some observers to the list.

This renewal remains however partial. Several former ministers of Joseph Kabila are on the team in important positions, such as Steve Mbikayi now Minister of Humanitarian Action, Azarias Ruberwa, who becomes Minister of State for Decentralization or Aimé Ngoy Mukena, who inherits from defense.

The former president also places some faithful lieutenants among the new entrants, as for example Célestin Tunda, Justice, he was deputy secretary general of the PPRD, the party of Joseph Kabila, or Papy Pungu, a controversial personality for his positions radical when he led the PPRD Young Leaders.

Long negotiations

The negotiations have been long and difficult to achieve forming this coalition government. Last July, and after much tugging, CACH and the FCC finally decided to share the coveted royal posts.

Felix Tshisekedi obtained the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and decided to place a woman, Marie Tumba Nzeza, from her party UDPS and relatively unknown. He also inherited from the Ministry of the Interior to Gilbert Kankonde, a faithful of the head of state, until now national secretary in charge of the external relations of his party, the UDPS.

Vital Kamerhe's UNC, Felix Tshisekedi's ally in CACH, does not get a real regal position even though he has the budget. A post of Deputy Prime Minister is entrusted to Baudoin Mayo, current Deputy Secretary General of this party (UNC).

As for ex-president Joseph Kabila he got to keep his hand on the Ministry of Defense, which comes back to a personality already several times minister, Aimé Ngoye Mukena. Also in the hands of the FCC and just as strategic and which has been the subject of intense negotiations in recent days, the Ministry of Finance finally returns to José Célé Yalaghuli, former chief of staff of former Prime Minister Matata Ponyo.

Ebola, education and security, the big projects to come

One of the biggest challenges of this government will be the start of free basic education. Constitutional provision and especially firm promise of Felix Tshisekedi, this reform must be effective from the beginning of the school year in September. It will take about 2.5 billion US dollars this year to pay teachers and build new classrooms. This responsibility was entrusted to Willy Bakonga, appointed Minister of State in charge of Primary, Secondary and Technical Education. A school promoter and a member of the PPRD, he had already been twice Minister of Youth and Sports.

The other challenge of this government is the fight against the Ebola epidemic that has plagued the country for over a year and has already caused nearly 2,000 deaths. UDPS executive, Dr. André Eteni Longondo has been appointed Minister of Health. In particular, he will be responsible, on behalf of the government and in collaboration with the technical secretariat led by Dr. Jean-Jacques Muyembe, to find funding for the fourth disease response plan.

Emergencies include insecurity in eastern DRC. At least 1,900 people were killed by armed groups from June 2017 to June 2019 in the provinces of North Kivu and South Kivu. In this sector, a relative of Felix Tshisekedi has been appointed Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of the Interior and Security, Gilbert Kankonde. Aimé Ngoy Mukena, a member of Joseph Kabila's party, was appointed Minister of Defense.

► DRC: the new government is finally unveiled

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