Cablegate: With National Assembly Mandates Approved, Key

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DE RUEHKI #1561 2841705
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P 111705Z OCT 06
FM AMEMBASSY KINSHASA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4925
INFO RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
RUFOADA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK

UNCLAS KINSHASA 001561

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV KDEM CG
SUBJECT: WITH NATIONAL ASSEMBLY MANDATES APPROVED, KEY
PLAYERS RESHUFFLE TO MEET TONIGHT'S DEADLINE

REF: KINSHASA 1499

1. (U) Summary: With the mandates for newly-elected National
Assembly delegates approved, the eight-day delay period for
all members to accept or reject their seats expires October
11. As a result, the 49 members elected to the National
Assembly who have also been serving as Ministers, governors,
presidential advisors, or heads of parastatals during the
transitional government must resign in order to become
deputies. Those signatories to the Sun City Accord who
received authority to appoint their members to certain
positions retain the right to name the replacements for those
who resign. In a move likely to further complicate the
already complex end of the transition, President Kabila has
signed several decrees appointing new PPRD officials to some
key posts, and more new appointments will inevitably follow.
End summary.

2. (U) The official time period for newly-elected deputies to
take up their positions began October 3, the date mandates
were approved in a plenary session of the new Assembly.
According to the DRC's new constitution, any elected deputy
who holds an appointed position under the transitional
government (or, more technically, "a position incompatible
with their new mandates") is required to resign from his/her
previous position within eight days from the time the
deputies' mandates are validated. As of 1800 on October 11,
those who have not submitted a resignation will lose their
elected seats, and the deputy's stand-in (named when each
candidate submitted his or her nomination papers to the
Independent Electoral Commission) will become the new deputy.
Although many have already resigned, other resignations are
expected to be submitted up to the last possible minute.

3. (U) One of the interesting twists is that those
signatories to the Sun City Accord who had the original
authority to appoint a transitional government incumbent
(such as the PPRD, RCD-G, MLC, RCD-N, Mai-Mai, civil society,
and political opposition) still retain authority to appoint
his/her replacement. While it is conceivable that the
government could have left many of these positions empty,
most of the positions will likely be filled with lame-duck
appointees who have little capacity to govern well or wisely.
The possibility for confusion could reach epic proportions.

4. (U) While only the PPRD has made a list of new
appointments public, even this preliminary list of those
affected is a "Who's Who" of transitional government figures:
Interior Minister Mbemba (replaced by General Denis Kalume
Numbi), Minister of Health Emile Bongeli (new: Augustin
Kashongwe), Minister of Industries Mukendi Tshiabmula (new:
Philomene Omatuku), Minister of Energy Salomon Banamuhere
(new: Augustin Ngozi Ngolu); and the governors of Kasai
Occidental Tshiongo Tshibikubula wa Ntumba (new: Mutombo
Bakafwa Nsenda) and Bas-Congo Tsasa di Tumba (new: Jacques
Mbadu). Other key personalities likely to be replaced
include Presidential Advisors Antoine Ghonda, Vital Kamerhe,
Augustin Katumba, and Kikaya Bin Karubi. Non-PPRD positions
include Ministers of Justice, Agriculture, Mines, Public
Administration, Planning, Budget, Portfolio, Rural
Development, Public Works and Infrastructure, and Tourism;
and Governors or Vice Governors of Kasai Occidental, Kasai
Oriental, North Kivu, and Katanga provinces. We will update
the actual list in septel.

5. (SBU) Comment: This new transition, while sanctioned by
the Constitution, is creating political and financial havoc
at a vulnerable time. The problems of appointing competent
replacements and avoiding a power vacuum are compounded by
the cost of appointing new ministers for the relatively short
time between October 11 and the inauguration of the new
government, scheduled for December 10. Even though it is
necessary to have ministers, vice ministers, governors, vice
governors and heads of parastatals in the vacated positions
during the interim, it is unlikely that anybody could develop
effectiveness or expertise in such a short time -- and each
of the temporary replacements, as well as those resigning to
become members of the National Assembly, will in turn become
eligible for costly expenses, benefits, and severance
packages. End comment.
DOUGHERTY

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