Samy Badibanga named Prime Minister of Democratic Republic of Congo(DRC)Thursday Nov 17,2016

 

Democratic Republic of Congo(DRC) opposition figure Samy Badibanga was named prime minister on Thursday Nov 17,2016 under a power-sharing deal that allows President Joseph Kabila to stay in office after his term ends next month, the presidency said in a statement.

 

The nomination of Badibanga, who is a member of parliament, to head the new government of national unity came as a surprise as another opposition leader - former Kabila ally Vital Kamerhe - had been widely tipped for the post.

Samy Badibanga was excluded from Congo’s largest opposition party, the Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS), in 2012 along with other MPs for disobeying an order from party president Etienne Tshisekedi to boycott seats in parliament.

As part of the deal struck with part of the opposition, a presidential election scheduled for Nov. 27 to replace Kabila, who has ruled since 2001 and was constitutionally barred from running again, was postponed until at least April 2018, with authorities citing budgetary constraints and delays registering millions of voters.

Martin Fayulu, one of the leaders of the main opposition bloc that boycotted the talks, said Badibanga’s nomination would not affect protests aimed at forcing Kabila to step down when his mandate expires on Dec. 19