Congo's Catholic church mediates political crisis as presidents mandate ends on Dec19.

Record ID: 76849

  • Title: Congo's Catholic church mediates political crisis as presidents mandate ends on Dec19.
  • Date: 13th December 2016
  • Summary: KINSHASA, DR CONGO (RECENT) (REUTERS) ***WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** VIEWS OF KINSHASA VARIOUS OF EXTERIOR OF BUILDING WHERE POLITICAL DIALOGUE BETWEEN OPPOSITION AND GOVERNMENT IS TAKING PLACE VARIOUS OF DELEGATES INSIDE HALL WHERE CONFERENCE IS TAKING PLACE VARIOUS OF CATHOLIC PRIESTS PART OF THE CATHOLIC BISHOPS' CONFERENCE IN CONGO (CENCO) DELEGATION ENTERING CONFERENCE HALL AND TAKING THEIR SEATS MORE OF DELEGATES IN CONFERENCE HALL (SOUNDBITE) (French) MEMBER OF THE OPPOSITION UNION FOR DEMOCRACY AND SOCIAL PROGRESS (UPDS) VALENTIN MUBAKE SAYING: "We don't have demands, but we have four points that we would like to discuss. The first one is that Mr Kabila has to leave power on December 19, he is in his second and last mandate and that has to be applied. The other point is how should the country be governed after his departure after December 19? The third point will touch on the electoral process, which is separate from the other two points. The last point is about the privileges that Mr Kabila would like to have as a former president, those are the four points on which we are willing to discuss." CONGO GOVERNMENT SPOKESPERSON, LAMBERT MENDE COMING OUT OF HIS CAR SURROUNDED BY JOURNALISTS (SOUNDBITE) (French) CONGO GOVERNMENT SPOKESPERSON, LAMBERT MENDE, SAYING: "We have come together to find solutions to the legal and technical problems that we currently face in the country, so people should not think that they own the country compared to others, because otherwise there will be chaos, so good sense should prevail. We should be able to find solutions, otherwise there will be disorder, confusion and violence, which does not benefit anyone." VARIOUS OF PEOPLE READING NEWSPAPERS VARIOUS OF NEWSPAPER HEADLINES (SOUNDBITE) (French) KINSHASA RESIDENT, ALAIN MUSI, SAYING: "The events of September 19 and 20 show us that it can happen again, so it's only normal to have fear. But I don't want to be a prophet of doom, we think that the only way for peace is to look for solutions rather than engage in violence." (SOUNDBITE) (French) KINSHASA RESIDENT, KAYENGA ZIZU, SAYING: "Since an agreement had already been signed, the best thing should be to give a chance to the government in place and give them a deadline, and then we can have elections. What we fear is bloodshed, we don't want any more bloodshed on the streets of Kinshasa." DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC INFORMATION FOR MONUSCO, CHARLES BAMBARA AT NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (French) DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC INFORMATION FOR MONUSCO, CHARLES BAMBARA SAYING: "The most important thing is to see that the president's decision to let the CENCO work and to bring together all the political actors in order to find a consensus on the roadmap on national dialogue." STREET SCENES
  • Embargoed: 28th December 2016 15:45
  • Keywords: Constitutional Term Elections Political dialogue Opposition Joseph Kabila
  • Location: KINSHASA, DR CONGO
  • City: KINSHASA, DR CONGO
  • Country: Congo, Democratic Republic of
  • Reuters ID: LVA0015CPVVX3
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: A national dialogue mediated by the Congolese Catholic Church, involving opposition members and government representatives in the Democratic Republic of Congo has entered its second week, as the Catholic Bishops' Conference in Congo (CENCO) races to secure a deal ahead of Dec. 19, the official deadline for President Joseph Kabila to leave power.
    CENCO, has been mediating between the presidential majority, Kabila's political alliance, and the Rassemblement, a large coalition of opposition groups.
    Kabila is required by constitutional term limits to step down when his second mandate ends on December 19.
    His ruling coalition and some opposition members have agreed to delay the vote until April 2018, citing lack of preparation, but the main opposition bloc rejects the accord and has planned a protest to demand he steps down.
    Congo's largest opposition party, the Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS) agreed to participate in the latest round of talks but put forward certain conditions.
    "We don't have demands, but we have four points that we would like to discuss. The first one is that Mr Kabila has to leave power on December 19, he is in his second and last mandate and that has to be applied. The other point is how should the country be governed after his departure after December 19? The third point will touch on the electoral process, which is separate from the other two points. The last point is about the privileges that Mr Kabila would like to have as a former president, those are the four points on which we are willing to discuss," said member of UDPS Valentin Mubake.
    Congo's government spokesperson said that the government is committed to the process and to finding lasting solutions to the crisis. The government has previously denied that Kabila is trying to violate the constitution.
    "We have come together to find solutions to the legal and technical problems that we currently face in the country, so people should not think that they own the country compared to others, because otherwise there will be chaos, so good sense should prevail. We should be able to find solutions, otherwise there will be disorder, confusion and violence, which does not benefit anyone," said Congo's government spokesperson Lambert Mende.
    The government says that the election to select Kabila's successor, originally scheduled for last month, cannot be organised until April 2018 because of the need to register millions of new voters.
    Kabila has vowed to stay on until the presidential vote despite being banned from seeking another term after being in power since 2001, but the opposition accuse him of manipulating the process to cling to power and has vowed protests on December 19.
    In September, about 50 people were killed during two days of violent protests against election delays.
    In the streets of the capital Kinshasa, opinions are divided over the country's political future.
    "The events of September 19 and 20 show us that it can happen again, so it's only normal to have fear. But I don't want to be a prophet of doom, we think that the only way for peace is to look for solutions rather than engage in violence," said one Kinshasa resident Alain Musi.
    "Since an agreement had already been signed, the best thing should be to give a chance to the government in place and give them a deadline, and then we can have elections. What we fear is bloodshed, we don't want any more bloodshed on the streets of Kinshasa," said Kayenga Zizu.
    Despite the UN chief, Ban Ki-Moon warning a few months ago tensions in the country could degenerate into political violence over the elections, the U.N. Organisation Stabilization Mission in the DR Congo or MONUSCO says it is encouraged by the latest talks.
    "The most important thing is to see that the president's decision to let CENCO work and to bring together all the political actors in order to find a consensus on the roadmap on national dialogue," said MONUSCO director of Public Information, Charles Bambara.
    On Monday (December 12), The United States imposed sanctions on members of Kabila's inner circle for the first time, to try to force the government to agree a compromise with opposition leaders.
    The European Union also imposed travel bans and asset freezes - it's first - on seven security officials it says have violated human rights and helped disrupt elections.
    The tough line from the United States and the EU is also an attempt to arrest a broader trend among regional leaders clinging to power, after heads of state in Congo Republic and Rwanda changed their constitutions to stand for third terms.
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