DRC: President Felix Tshisekedi Appoints Sama Lukonde Kyenge As New PM

The Democratic Republic of Congo’s (DRC) President Felix Tshisekedi on Monday appointed Jean-Michel Sama Lukonde Kyenge as the country’s new prime minister reported Reuters.

“The Head of State, Félix-Antoine Tshisekedi has just appointed Mr. Sama Lukonde Kyenge as Prime Minister in order to lead the next Government of the Sacred Union of the Nation,” a statement from the Presidency read.

The 43-year-old Kyenge was previously the General Director of the state mining company Gécamines (General Quarries and Mines), the country’s mining flagship project. He has also served in various government roles before, including as National Deputy, Minister of Youth and Sports.

After the appointment, Lukonde said he would work to bring peace to the east and southeast of the DRC.

“We are also going to carry out reforms because the country needs them in several sectors, including the electoral law,” he told journalists.

The appointment comes after Sylvestre Ilunga Ilunkamba, one of former president Joseph Kabila’s close aides, resigned as prime minister late last month after a vote of no confidence by the DRC parliament.

His ouster followed President Tshisekedi’s decision to end a power-sharing agreement between his party and that of the former president.

Tshisekedi, who won the controversial presidential election in December 2018, led the country in coalition with Kabila’s Front Commun pour le Congo (FCC) party, which secured the majority seats in parliament in legislative elections, which were held on the same day as the presidential election.

But in December, Tshisekedi declared that he wanted to opt-out of the power-sharing deal with Kabila. In fact, in recent months, he has appointed some of his close allies to the Constitutional Court and the leadership of the National Assembly.

With a majority in Parliament, President Tshisekedi would be able to constitute a cabinet of his choice after two years in which Kabila’s allies have dominated the major ministries. The DRC president now hopes to form a new majority in parliament by winning over members of Kabila’s coalition.