Who Is Really In Charge of DR Congo?

In an effort to stabilise the country, President Félix Tshisekedi entered a "sacred union" with his predecessor, former president Joseph Kabila and his Front Commun pour le Congo (FCC) coalition, writes Mohamed M Diatta of the Institute for Security Studies. Tshisekedi took office in January 2019, following widely disputed elections. Tshisekedi and Kabila are believed to have signed a secret deal in January 2019, for a coalition government which has established two centres of power led by each of them. The arrangement essentially allows Kabila to retain power, by ensuring his inclusion in key governance decisions through direct consultations with Tshisekedi. The FCC and Kabila are also criticising Tshisekedi for going back on this agreement and for allegedly violating the DRC's constitution in the way he appointed constitutional and appeal court judges.Tshisekedi is struggling to escape the shackles of a deal gone bad with the DRC's former president.