DRC rivals enter into deal with government seven months after elections

The two rival political camps in DR Congo on Friday signed a pact on the formation of a government, six months after President Felix Tshisekedi's takeover of veteran leader Joseph Kabila, officials said.

Tshisekedi was elected in December to replace Kabila, president of the largest country in sub-Saharan Africa for nearly two decades.

He took power at the end of January, but was striving to form a government, with the Kabila Common Front Congo (CFC) coalition winning a comfortable majority in both Parliament and provincial bademblies.

Kabila's supporters also dominated the country's governorate elections.

The current outgoing government includes ministers of the Kabila era.

The Tshisekedi CACH alliance within the legislature held tortuous talks with the FCC in order to break the stalemate.

"An agreement has just been reached on Friday between the FCC and the CACH," the pro-Kabila alliance coordinator Nehemie Mwilanya announced on Twitter.

He added that Prime Minister Sylvestre Ilunkamba, proposed by Kabila and supported by Tshisekedi, could be officially appointed next week.

"It will be a government of 65 members: 42 from the FCC and 23 from the CACH," said Jean-Baudouin Mayo, a CACH negotiator.

Mwilanya said the two sides had made "reciprocal concessions" but did not provide details on the recipients of the key ministries such as the interior, defense, economic, security and defense ministries. finance and mining.

"Now we are going to join forces – that is, we will be from the same political family," said Tshisekedi a month ago.

The opposition considers Tshisekedi as a puppet of Kabila.

Tshisekedi emerged victorious from the elections that marked the first peaceful transition of power in the Democratic Republic of Congo since the vast, mineral-rich country gained independence from Belgium in 1960.

But the vote has been tainted with allegations of rigging and Tshisekedi is struggling to advance the promises of reform.

The politics of this unstable country remains overshadowed by Kabila, who gained great influence after 18 years of power.