The Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Jean-Michel Sama Lukonde, presented his resignation and that of his government to President Félix Tshisekedi on Tuesday February 20, according to a video shared Wednesday by the presidency. In this video, he declares that he favors his “mandate as a national deputy”, having recently been elected “to represent the constituency of Kasenga”, in the mining province of Haut-Katanga, where he is from.
Like 27 other members of his government (out of the 59 who make up the executive), Jean-Michel Sama Lukonde was elected deputy during the general elections of December 20. Leaving the president’s office, he declared that he had come “to inform him of [his] choice and consequently of [his] resignation.” He announced that this would result in the resignation of the government he has led for more than three years. “The President of the Republic has taken note of this decision,” he said.
In order to consolidate his majority, Félix Tshisekedi appointed Jean-Michel Sama Lukonde as head of government in February 2021, after breaking up the coalition he formed with his predecessor, Joseph Kabila (2001-2019). When announcing his resignation, Mr. Lukonde praised a “very loyal” collaboration with the Head of State, which according to him made it possible to make progress, “particularly on security issues, education, of health”. He also welcomed the “economic, financial and social reforms” carried out by his government.
While waiting for the formation of a new government, the current ministers and prime minister must “ensure the dispatch of current affairs”, indicated the Congolese presidency. The date of the announcement of a new government is not yet known.
At the beginning of February, Félix Tshisekedi appointed Augustin Kabuya, the secretary general of his party (Union for Democracy and Social Progress), as an “informant” with the mission of identifying a parliamentary majority with a view to forming a government. According to provisional results published by the electoral commission and which must be confirmed by the Constitutional Court, the parties supporting Félix Tshisekedi won nearly 94% of the seats in the National Assembly.
In 2024, the DRC remains one of the poorest nations in the world, with two-thirds of its population (around 100 million) living on less than $2.15 per day. The United Nations estimated at the end of 2023 that nearly 7 million people were “internally displaced” because of the armed conflicts raging across the country.