The news in the Democratic Republic of Congo is marked by a bold proposal by Professor Isidore Ndaywel for a new constitution. In this proposal, the country would change from a republic to a federal state with a presidential regime, with two capitals, one economic and one political.
According to Professor Ndaywel, this project would create a federation based on seven entities, namely the six historical provinces of the DRC as well as the city of Kinshasa. Each region would be governed by a Provincial Commissioner, appointed directly by the Head of State, with the aim of strengthening the autonomy of the provinces and upgrading the administrative service.
One of the main innovations of this proposal is the establishment of two capitals: Kinshasa as the economic capital and Kisangani as the political capital. This decision is justified by geopolitical considerations and would facilitate access to government institutions.
In terms of political regime, Ndaywel’s proposal proposes to move from a semi-presidential regime to a presidential regime, inspired by the American model. The President of the Republic would be assisted by a Vice-President, and the central and regional governments would be composed taking into account gender representation and internal entities.
This proposal for a new constitution would also involve reforms at the level of public administration. State authority would be ensured by the judiciary, the national police, the national gendarmerie and the combat forces. In addition, distinctions would be made between regional and national political parties, to ensure greater institutional stability and fair representation.
Another important aspect of this proposal concerns the duration of electoral mandates. The President of the Republic would be elected for a non-renewable term of 9 years, while the national and regional legislatures would have terms of office of 7 and 5 years respectively, renewable only once.
This proposal for a new constitution is already generating debate and discussion within Congolese society. If adopted, it could pave the way for significant changes in the governance of the country