NEW ERA IN DR CONGO

DR Congo is one of the African countries famous for its riches in minerals. It also remains one of the countries with the highest level of sexual violence and malnutrition not forgetting the influx of endemic diseases and widespread corruption in the country.

In the early hours of Thursday, the 10th of January, there was a transfer of power in the DRC, the first of its kind in about 59years. Felix Tshisekedi emerged the controversial presidential-elect of the Democratic Republic of Congo after he was openly declared winner of the just concluded December 30 2018 election.

Tshisekedi Felix is the son of serial opposition leader Etienne Tshisekedi who served under Mobutu, who was the military leader between 1965 and 1997.

Felix Tshisekedi edged out opposition front runner Martin Fayulu, a respected former business executive who had a healthy lead at the beginning of the race and Emmanuel Romazani Shadery in the just concluded election.

There was jubilation on the streets of Kinshasa which is the capital city. Supporters came out in their numbers to usher in the dawn of a new era in the history of DRC. Critics have it that the 55 year old Tshisekedi is unproven, inexperienced and lacks the charisma of his father, who was said to be a man of the country.

Tshisekedi Felix is the first leader to assume power through the ballot box in the Democratic Republic of Congo since prime minister Patrice Lumumba shortly after Congo gained it’s independence from Belgium in 1960. Lumumba was toppled in a coup and killed four month’s later.