End in sight for Congo’s political crisis as two sides of divide agree terms for President Joseph Kabila’s exit
Kabila has been in power since the 2001 assassination of his father Laurent at the height of the Second Congo War
The government and opposition in the Democratic Republic of Congo have clinched a hard-
won deal over President Joseph Kabila’s fate, ending a political crisis that sparked months of deadly unrest.
Under the terms of the deal, Kabila will stay until the “end of 2017” but a transition council
will be established, headed by opposition leader Etienne Tshisekedi. In addition, a prime minister will be named from the opposition ranks.
The talks were launched by the Roman Catholic Church to ward off violence as Kabila’s second and final mandate ended on December 20 with no sign of him stepping down and no election in sight.
According to a working document for the deal, Kabila guarantees that he will not seek a third mandate. In return, the opposition accepted the president will remain in office until handing over power to an elected successor. The opposition had demanded his immediate departure.