DRC: a deputy proposes a mandate of seven years instead of five for the head of state
Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi in front of deputies in Parliament, Kinshasa. (illustration image) © REUTERS - HEREWARD HOLLAND
Text by: RFI Follow
2 mins
A member of the ruling party takes everyone by surprise.
While the Congolese political class has its eyes riveted on the next electoral law to govern the next elections, Steve Mbikayi, a former opponent who switched to the camp of Joseph Kabila then that of Felix Tshisekedi, proposed Friday to the Assembly a revision of the Constitution.
Twenty MEPs already support the proposal.
An approach, according to its author, which does not currently have the support of the Sacred Union, the ruling coalition.
Advertising
Read more
With our correspondent in Kinshasa,
Pascal Mulegwa
"
We are very sure that in 2024, we will enter the fourth Republic in the DRC
".
Steve Mbikayi first explains that the current Constitution, adopted in 2006 to put an end to the second Congo war, was drafted at the University of Liège.
It is, according to him, a replica of the French Constitution far from African realities.
The deputy wants the change towards a presidential system and a passage of the duration of the mandate from 5 to 7 years.
“
Because elections are very expensive, if we go to seven years, we can minimize the cost of elections.
But also, five years do not seem to us to be enough to be able to start a program and complete it.
Here in Africa, the regimes are always presidential, even if on paper, it is semi-presidential.
There are also colleagues who want us to debate the issue of federalism.
All questions are on the table.
»
Another proposal concerns the recognition of dual nationality.
Others advocate the abolition of budget-consuming institutions, which according to him have no impact.
“
Like the Senate, Economic and Social Council, the National Human Rights Commission, like the CSAC
[High Council for Audiovisual and Communication].
There are a lot of them that overlap and eat up about $200 million every year.
It's too much.
»
Steve Mbikayi proposes that this revision be submitted to referendum on the same day of the next general elections supposed to be held in 2023.
Newsletter
Receive all the international news directly in your mailbox
I subscribe
Follow all the international news by downloading the RFI application
google-play-badge_FR
ground floor