Kinshasa unveils its vision of transition government

The government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) on Thursday revealed its position on the institutional changes it envisages for the country during a transition period before elections.

The formal declaration was made in the political commission of the inter-Congolese dialogue at Sun City, South Africa.

The government proposes to establish the post of prime minister, and is ready to discuss the possibility of appointing vice presidents and vice prime ministers, information minister Kikaya Bin Karubi told IRIN after the commission meeting.

But said that the presidency will continue to be occupied by Joseph Kabila until elections are held. "This dialogue will not be used to stage a putsch," he stated.

The two main rebel movements and the unarmed opposition also declared their positions on institutions at the meeting. Both rebel movements want the dialogue participants to choose the president, and both propose criteria for the appointment - which would rule out Kabila. "The president should be aged from 35 to 70, born of Congolese parents, and if aged less than 40, holder of a university diploma," said Olivier Kamitatu, secretary general of the Ugandan-backed Mouvement pour la liberation du Congo (MLC) armed opposition movement. Kabila is said to be 30 years old.

The Rwandan-backed Rassemblement congolais pour la democratie (RCD-Goma) armed opposition movement proposes similar criteria and calls for the dialogue participants to select a wide range of office holders. "We think everything should be negotiated here, the presidency, deputy president, ministries, governorships, and key embassies," said Bizima Karaha, head of RCD-Goma's security department.

The RCD, said Karaha, proposes a president with two vice presidents, a prime minister with three vice prime ministers (or ministers of state), and a bicameral parliament with an upper house composed of representatives of federal entities and a lower house selected from the dialogue participants.

However, the MLC is not proposing a vice president, but rather four vice prime ministers (or ministers of state), and a single house of parliament, with 20 percent of the seats to be allocated to each of the dialogue's five component groups, according to Kamitatu.

Although the unarmed opposition has not been able to present a unanimous view, one opposition party leader, Eugene Diomi Ndongala of the opposition Front pour la Survie de la Democratie (FSD), an umbrella group of about 15 small parties, said most oppositionists support the idea of a parliament with 500 deputies, and a president of the parliament with four vice presidents. The best known opposition party, meanwhile, l'Union pour la democratie et progres social (UDPS), is calling for a presidential system of government.

Talks continued between the government delegation and the facilitator's team until 4 am on Friday, said Karaha. Observers said the lengthy talks were at least a sign of serious
negotiations.

Ndongala said it was hoped the institutional principles could be laid down by Monday 1 April, the penultimate week of the 45-day dialogue that began on 25 February, so that candidates for offices could then announce themselves.