March 2001 Africa News Headlines

Friday, March 16, 2001 - Web posted at 6:58:48 AM GMT

Kabila to liberalise DRC politics

KINSHASA - Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) President Joseph Kabila has decided to set up a commission that will recommend "paths" towards liberalisation of party politics in the vast central African country, an official said this week.

The decision followed a meeting on Monday between Kabila, political leaders and members of civil society, communications ministry spokesman Dominique Sakombi said in a statement.

The commission will be made up of "members of public institutions ...in particular political actors, civil society, churches and women's groups," according to the statement.

The commission will look at issues such as "the liberalisation of the activities of political parties ...(and) access to the public media for all political organisations."

"It will also look at "the organisation of inter-Congolese pre-dialogue and participation in inter-Congolese dialogue," the statement said.

Inter-Congolese dialogue between the government, opposition and civil groups, was established as part of a ceasefire accord signed in the Zambian capital Lusaka in mid-1999 by all belligerents in the two-and-a-half-year-old DRC civil war.

Headed by Ketumile Masire, the dialogue stuttered to a halt under the presidency of Laurent Kabila, who claimed the Botswanan former president was biased against his government.

However, soon after Joseph Kabila assumed power on January 26 after his father was shot dead by a bodyguard, he invited Kabila to re-launch the talks.

An order signed by Laurent Kabila in January 1999 required that political parties register with the interior ministry and attached drastic curbs on political activity. - Nampa-Sapa-AFP

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