RE-ELECTED TSHISEKEDI Calls for Unity and Patriotism to Secure Peace and Prosperity In The DRC
Image: The re-elected Head of State, Félix Tshisekedi, at the swearing-in ceremony for the second term, Saturday, 20 January 2024, at the Martyrs Stadium in Kinshasa.
Radio Okapi/Ph. Vanessa Nkongolo
by PD Lawton 21 January 2024
“Always at the national level, there is the challenge of safeguarding our national cohesion, which can only be achieved by renewing and consolidating our collective desire to live, a collective desire to live in which the scourges of hatred will be banished, tribalism, clannism and all the anti-values that today undermine the development of our country, in short a desire to live together as a sacred value that we will bequeath whole to future generations.”
President Tshisekedi won the recent Democratic Republic of Congo election by an overwhelming majority of 73%, a clear win for UDPS (Union for Democracy and Social Progress), the DRC’s oldest and largest party. This is Tshisekedi`s second 5 year term in office.
The inauguration ceremony was held in Martyrs Stadium, Kinshasa on Saturday 20 January. It was by all accounts a splendid and joyful event. The ceremony did not lack any pomp and splendor that would be fitting for the swearing in of the leader of an important and powerful country. It signals to the world that Congo is finally taking its rightful place on the world stage. The stadium was packed to full capacity with over 100 000 supporters who cheered and applauded the man who is becoming increasingly popular with his nation.
There were 18 heads of state who attended which is very impressive. People are remarking that the number of high level delegations is historic for Congo. China, Russia, America and most of Africa were represented. Absent were Presidents Kagame and Museveni who are the persistent enemies to peace in the eastern provinces.
African heads of state included the Presidents of the Republic of Congo, South Africa, Angola, Republic of Burundi, Central African Republic, Republic of Djibouti, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Republic of Malawi, Chad, Democratic Republic of Sao Tome, Senegal and Zambia.
In his inaugural speech on Saturday, President Tshisekedi laid out the 6 objectives of his second 5 year term. The objectives are:
- Create more jobs, by accelerating the promotion of youth entrepreneurship;
2 Protect the purchasing power of households by stabilizing the exchange rate;
- To ensure the security of populations and their property within the national territory by restructuring the security apparatus;
- Pursue the diversification of the economy and strengthen its competitiveness;
- Ensure more access to basic social services;
- Effectively strengthening public services
He added that his government will focus on
- Opening up the national territory with infrastructure;
- Development of the agricultural value chain;
- Improving the sanitation of cities.
Of UDPS`s political opponents he said this:
“I take this opportunity to do my republican duty to salute my opponents who participated in the presidential election of 20 December 2023. Do we not say that the harder the fight, the more beautiful the victory? You are therefore, ladies and gentlemen, a substantial component to today’s event, and you rightly have a place in the governance of our country. As the guarantor of national cohesion, I will ensure that, as I will urge the parliament to ensure the effectiveness of the role of spokesman for the opposition in accordance with the Constitution.”
President Tshisekedi stressed that national cohesion was of paramount importance for peace:
“Always at the national level, there is the challenge of safeguarding our national cohesion, which can only be achieved by renewing and consolidating our collective desire to live, a collective desire to live in which the scourges of hatred will be banished, tribalism, clannism and all the anti-values that today undermine the development of our country, in short a desire to live together as a sacred value that we will bequeath whole to future generations.”
« Toujours sur le plan national se pose le défi de la sauvegarde de notre cohésion nationale qui ne peut se faire qu’au moyen du renouvellement et de la consolidation de notre vouloir vivre collectif, un vouloir vivre collectif où seront bannis les fléaux de la haine, du tribalisme, du clanisme et de toutes les antivaleurs qui aujourd’hui minent le développement de notre pays, bref un vouloir vivre collectif comme valeur sacrée que nous lèguerons entier aux générations futures »
The President said his government will continue to strengthen the State to safeguard the nation and that the only real enemies of Congolese are insecurity and poverty:
“The strengthening of the State in its ability to secure the population and its property, to eradicate terrorist activism and the armed groups in the eastern part of our country, to protect our borders more effectively, to ensure defence and safeguard the interests of our country, … are all subjects that nourish your concerns”
President Tshisekedi promised that all the mistakes of the past will no longer happen again:
“Now, for us, it is a question of transforming over the next five years the feats that we have achieved and of completing the advent of a more united, better secure and more prosperous Congo. It is now a matter of us remaining mobilized and united in our fight against insecurity and poverty, our only and real enemies. Drawing lessons from past experience having in mind your expressed aspirations, I undertake to use all that is in my power so that the errors of the past are no longer reduced and so that the actions necessary for advancement of our country be promptly taken. This is what I will commit the government that will be formed once the majority is achieved.”
« A présent, il s’agit pour nous de transformer durant les cinq prochaines années les prouesses que nous avons réalisées et de parachever l’avènement d’un Congo plus uni, mieux sécurisé et plus prospère. Il s’agit désormais pour nous de rester mobilisés et soudés dans notre lutte contre l’insécurité et la pauvreté, nos seuls et réels ennemis. Tirant des leçons de l’expérience passée ayant à l’esprit vos aspirations exprimées, je m’engage à user de tout ce qui est de mon pouvoir pour que les erreurs du passé ne se réduisent plus et pour que les actions nécessaires à l’avancement de notre pays soient promptement prises. C’est à cela que j’engagerai le gouvernement qui sera formé une fois la majorité dégagée ».
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