Congo to form interim govt

Democratic Republic of Congo will form an interim government that includes opposition members, as part of a deal to set up new elections and break a political impasse, Justice Minister Alexis Thambwe Mwamba said. The announcement came after backers of President Joseph Kabila and some opposition members agreed on Wednesday on the timing of those […]

Democratic Republic of Congo will form an interim government that includes opposition members, as part of a deal to set up new elections and break a political impasse, Justice Minister Alexis Thambwe Mwamba said.
The announcement came after backers of President Joseph Kabila and some opposition members agreed on Wednesday on the timing of those elections, a question that has caused more than a year of debate and led to violent protests and arrests.
However, most major opposition parties are boycotting the talks. They see them as part of Kabila’s plan to justify staying in power beyond the end of his mandate in December, when he is due to step down under the constitution.
“The government will be redone. We will put in place a government that we will co-manage between the presidential majority, the opposition and civil society,” said Mwamba, who is representing Kabila’s political supporters in the talks.
It was unclear which opposition members would become part of the new government.