A member of the ruling party surprises everyone. While the Congolese political class has its eyes fixed on the next election law that will govern the next election, Steve Mbikayi, a former opponent who switched to Joseph Kabila’s camp then Felix Tshisekedi’s camp, proposed on Friday for the assembly a revision of the constitution. . Twenty MEPs already support the proposal. An approach, according to its author, which does not currently have the support of the Holy Union, the governing coalition.
as reported from Kinshasa, Pascal Mulegwa
“We are very confident that in 2024 we will enter the Fourth Republic of the DRC.” Steve Mbikayi first explains that the current constitution, adopted in 2006 to end the Second Congo War, was drafted at the University of Liège. It is, according to him, a copy of the French constitution far from African realities.
The deputy wants a change towards a presidential system and a passage of the term of office from 5 to 7 years.
“Because elections are very expensive, if we go to seven years, we can minimize the cost of elections. But even five years does not seem to be enough to be able to start a program and complete it. With us in Africa, regimes are always presidential elections, even if “It’s semi-presidential on paper. There are also colleagues who want us to debate the issue of federalism. All issues are on the table.”
Another proposal concerns the recognition of dual citizenship. Others advocate the abolition of budget-consuming institutions, which he says have no impact. “Like the Senate, the Economic and Social Council, the National Commission on Human Rights, like the CSAC [Conseil supérieur de l’audiovisuel et de la communication]. There are many of them that overlap and eat up about $ 200 million each year. That is too much.”
Steve Mbikayi proposes that this revision be submitted to a referendum on the same day as the next general election to be held in 2023.
