DR Congo: Tshisekedi supporter elects senate President

The Democratic Republic of Congo has elected a supporter of President Felix Tshisekedi as the next Senate leader.

Modeste Bahati Lukwebo’s election follows the formation of a new parliamentary majority to remove the camp of the former head of state, Joseph Kabila from power.

Senator Modeste Bahati Lukwebo garnered 89 votes, an absolute majority of votes, and becomes the President of the Senate, the provisional President of the upper house of the Congolese Parliament, Leon Mamboleo said.

Bahati, 65, has on several occasions served as minister of former President Joseph Kabila.

The Congolese Senate has 109 members.

In January, Senator Bahati fulfilled the mission entrusted to him by President Tshisekedi to constitute a new majority of the “Sacred Union of the Nation” in his favour in the National Assembly.

The aim was to remove supporters of former President Kabila, grouped within his Common Front for the Congo (FCC) coalition.

With the election of Bahati, President Tshisekedi has placed his supporters at the head of the country’s three most important political institutions.

Christophe Mboso was elected President of the National Assembly and Jean-Michel Sama Lukonde is now Prime Minister.

On Monday, Mr. Lukonde closed consultations for the formation of the new government, entirely composed of supporters of the head of state. The previous team was largely dominated by Kabila’s supporters and led by one of them, including 43 pro-Kabila ministers against 23 pro-Tshisekedi.

This new government will be known in “the next few days”, according to people close to the new Prime Minister.

Hauwa Mustapha