The Palais du Peuple in Kinshasa is once again echoing with the hubbub of parliamentary debates as parliamentarians return to the National Assembly and the Senate for the September ordinary session. After a three-month break, dedicated to parliamentary recess, elected officials are back for a session that is essentially budgetary, marked by the examination and voting on the accounts for the 2023 financial year, the 2024 budget supplement and the 2025 budget.
At the heart of these discussions, parliamentarians will also set up parliamentary groups and special committees. The President of the National Assembly, Vital Kamerhe, received the Prime Minister, Judith Suminwa, to discuss the upcoming submission of the Finance Bill for the 2025 financial year, as well as the accounts for the 2024 financial year and the necessary corrections.
Beyond budgetary issues, the National Assembly is showing its willingness to focus on improving the daily lives of citizens. The rapporteur, Jacques Djoli, highlights priorities such as security in the east of the country, national reconstruction through local development programs, the equitable exploitation of natural resources, and the evaluation of the Head of State’s projects concerning free basic education and medical care.
In the interests of transparency and control of the management of public affairs, the President of the National Assembly undertakes to transform written questions submitted during the vacation period into oral questions. This approach aims to ensure the monitoring and verification of actions carried out by the government in the interest of the population.
Thus, this parliamentary session promises to be crucial for the future of the country, marked by debates and decisions that will shape the daily lives of the Congolese. The issues are multiple, ranging from the proper use of public resources to improving the living conditions of the population, including the consolidation of democracy and the rule of law. The People’s Palace is the scene of discussions and deliberations that will have a direct impact on the future of the Congolese nation.