This is a first in the exercise of parliamentary control in the DRC, the majority of deputies present, Wednesday evening March 30, at the National Assembly dismissed the Minister of Economy Jean-Marie Kalumba. He was blamed in particular for the soaring prices of goods on the market across the country. The deputy of the government coalition, the Sacred Union, had initiated the motion of no confidence against this close friend of the President of the Senate, Modeste Bahati, but the minister had difficulty in convincing the elected officials of his own camp and left the hemicycle during the voting process.
With our correspondent in Kinshasa, Pascal Mulegwa
Before a hostile assembly, Minister Jean-Marie Kalumba said he was a victim ” of those who profit from illicit practices in his area. After his hearing without debate, the President of the National Assembly Christophe Mboso triggered the vote: “ Out of 368 deputies who took part in the vote, 277 voted for the motion, 77 voted against, 12 voted abstention. »
The minister has now resigned. “ This proves that in the Sacred Union, there is democracy. What we want is for there to be a framework for the prices of basic necessities “Explains one of these heartthrobs, MP Crispin Mbindule, author of the motion of no confidence.
A warning against the current government
It is above all a warning against the current governmentwarns Dede Kodoro: “ The ministers who will not produce results, the majority will not protect them. This minister is not the only one. There are many who are in this government and who do not give satisfaction. We are going to put their function back into play for lack of control of their sector. »
For Bertin Mubonzi, elected officials had no choice, because the people come first: “ When there is a problem, we do not procrastinate. The population will understand that we are with them, their suffering is ours. »
Take steps to calm speculation
The disappointment was perceptible among the deputies of the Alliance of Democratic Forces of Congo, from which the dismissed minister came. Many did not wish to react, believing that this dismissal actually hides a settling of accounts within the coalition of the Sacred Union. Jean-Marie Lukulasi felt “ we should have agreed otherwise. We are in the Sacred Union “.
The Prime Minister, for his part, announces that Prime Minister Jean-Michel Sama Lukonde will take urgent measures this week to calm the ” speculation that tends to get under way in the markets ” since several weeks.
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