DR Congo: Big Promises, Olive Branch To Rivals, As Tshisekedi Starts Second Term

By Badylon Kawanda Bakiman

Re-elected with 73.47%, President Felix-Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo was sworn in by the Constitutional Court on Saturday, January 20, 2024. The colorful ceremony took place at the Stadium des Martyrs in the capital Kinshasa. It marked the start of his second term as President of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), against the backdrop of a war of aggression in the eastern part of the country.

Several heads of state from the African continent, Joe Biden's delegation from the USA, the delegation from China, France etc., members of the diplomatic corps and a large crowd attended the ceremony.

This is the first time in the history of the DRC that a presidential inauguration has been attended by more than 12 heads of state and government. It will go down in the country's annals.

A second term revolving around six commitments and objectives

In his inaugural speech on Saturday January 20, when he was sworn in as President-elect, President Félix Tshisekedi outlined the six objectives of his second 5-year term.

The Head of State promised to create more jobs, by speeding up the promotion of youth entrepreneurship; to protect household purchasing power by stabilizing the exchange rate; to ensure the security of the population, the national territory, the country's assets and interests, by restructuring the security and defense apparatus; to pursue the diversification of the economy and strengthen its competitiveness; to guarantee greater access to basic social services; and to effectively strengthen public services.

In addition to these objectives, Félix Tshisekedi stated that three major challenges would be the priorities of his second term. These are: opening up the national territory; developing the agricultural value chain; and cleaning up the cities.

Tshisekedi reaches out to the opposition

Félix Tshisekedi began his last five-year term at the head of the DRC as a unifier. While his opponents are contesting his re-election, the DRC's first citizen has shown himself to be open. He promised to ensure that his rivals in the last presidential election would participate in the governance of the DRC, which in its eastern part was the victim of Rwandan aggression.

Also in his speech, Félix Tshisekedi, who, in accordance with article 69 of the Constitution, represents the nation and is the symbol of national unity, saluted his opponents who took part in the presidential election on December 20, 2023.

"Isn't it said that the harder the fight, the greater the victory? So, ladies and gentlemen, you are an integral part of today's event, and you rightly have your place in the governance of our country. In my capacity as guarantor of national cohesion, I will see to it...", he declared.