DRC (Kinshasa) : strong return of two heavyweights in the new government team

In his decree, the President of the Democratic Republic of Congo reappointed Sama Lokonde as Prime Minister. He will be accompanied by a new and atypical ministerial team nine months from the next presidential election. INFO SOS Médias Burundi

Among the new government heavyweights is notably former Vice-President Jean-Pierre Bemba (2003-2006) as Minister of National Defence.

Former warlord Jean Pierre Bemba was sentenced to 18 years in prison by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for crimes he allegedly perpetrated in the Central African Republic, before being acquitted on appeal in 2018, at the end of ten years imprisonment.

His appointment comes as the DRC faces a new war against the M23 (March 23 Movement), the ADF (Allied Democratic Forces) and the CODECO (Cooperative for the Development of Congo) in the eastern part of the country.

Another comeback, Vital Kamerhe, former chief of staff of President Félix Tshisekedi, sentenced in 2020 to 20 years in prison for embezzlement, before also being acquitted on appeal in 2022. He was appointed to the economy, to the rank of Deputy Prime Minister.

The Sama Lukonde II government therefore has 5 deputy prime ministers, 11 ministers of state, 29 ministers, a delegate minister and 12 deputy ministers.