Kinshasa press review of Wednesday August 2, 2023
The Kinshasa newspapers devoted their Wednesday August 2 articles to a series of appointments made by the Head of State, Felix Tshisekedi. The presidential orders relate in particular to the new leaders of the National Security Council (CNS), the National Intelligence Agency (ANR) as well as several companies in the State portfolio.
The newspaper Congo Nouveau title on the front page: “Daniel Lusadisu at the ANR, Esambo at the CNS”. According to this weekly, President Tshisekedi continues to restructure the DRC’s security apparatus. Daniel Lusadisu Nkiambi has been appointed new director general of the ANR, replacing Jean-Hervé Mbelu. In another presidential order, the head of state appointed Jean-Louis Esambo as special security adviser, succeeding Jean-Claude Bukasa.
AfricaNews echoes these appointments and stresses that Jean-Claude Bukasa and Jean-Hervé Mbelu have paid the consequences of their lack of competence in the management of sensitive security issues since the departure of their predecessors. The newspaper hopes that the arrival of Jean-Louis Esambo and Daniel Lusadisu will bring a new dynamic to the security services.
EcoNews believes that these appointments inject new blood into Tshisekedi’s security apparatus. The newspaper says that the president has entrusted the recomposition of his security system to two personalities little known to the general public. Jean-Louis Essambo, a constitutionalist by training, will take charge of the CNS, while retired Colonel Daniel Lusadisu will head the ANR. These appointments come five months before the general elections of December 2023, without the objective of the reshuffle being yet clearly defined.
Forum des AS adds that the Head of State has also made appointments in public companies as well as within his cabinet. The presidential orders were read out on national television by the president’s spokeswoman Tina Salama.
These appointments are therefore at the center of the news in Kinshasa, raising questions as to the reasons which motivated these choices and hoping for a new dynamic in the security system of the country. The next few months will allow us to measure the impact of these decisions on the political and security situation in the DRC