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Ilunga new RCD leader

[DRC] UN Under-Secretary-General Jean-Marie Guéhenno, head of the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO). [Date picture taken: 03/09/2006] Eddy Isango/IRIN
Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Jean-Marie Guéhenno.
    KINSHASA
    The rebel Rassemblement congolais pour la democratie (RCD) on Wednesday named medical doctor Emile Ilunga as its new leader after Ernest Wamba dia Wamba was ousted on Sunday. The change was announced after a special congress of 50 RCD founder members and 22 military commanders in the their capital Goma, the Rwanda News Agency (RNA) reported. It said the aim of the congress was to solve an internal power struggle which intensified two months ago, culminating in Wamba transferring his base from Goma to Kisangani. Another top official, Lunda Bululu, was also ousted from the leadership. One of the new leader's urgent tasks is to try and unify the movement and resolve the squabbles that rocked the former leadership, RNA said. Other news organisations quoted RCD official Bizima Karaha as saying Wamba's exit was the "only way" to resolve the leadership struggle. The movement also retained military commander Jean-Pierre Ondekane and Moise Nyarugabo as first and second vice-presidents respectively. Ondekane told AFP Ilunga was "an experienced man who has run military campaigns and worked in politics".

    This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions

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