Congo Nouveau Asks Whether Tshisekedi Is Delaying National Dialogue

The headline in the triweekly Congo Nouveau asks a pointed question: “Is Tshisekedi playing for time?” The paper is focusing on the continued wait for presidential decrees expected to organize the national dialogue.

Congo Nouveau argues that without those texts, the process remains at the stage of a political promise. The delay has prompted questions about how the authorities are managing the timetable and who controls it.

Actualite.cd highlights former minister Nicolas Kazadi’s explanation for excluding the AFC/M23 Republican Alliance from the political discussions. The outlet says security questions involving the group should instead be handled through external negotiation processes. Infos 27 likewise argues that armed groups such as AFC/M23 cannot take seats in a sovereign national dialogue.

Human Rights Minister Samuel Mbemba backed a popular dialogue rooted in the provinces during remarks in Kenge. According to the newspaper coverage, he rejected any confusion between political actors and armed movements. The Congolese Press Agency reported a call for the nation’s forces to mobilize in support of peace and the refoundation of the state.

The second major theme concerns Tshisekedi’s trip to São Tomé to attend the inauguration of Carlos Vila Nova. Le Potentiel presented the visit as more than a protocol obligation, saying the Congolese presidency views it as evidence of the importance Kinshasa places on relations with São Tomé and Príncipe. Other coverage emphasized the maintenance and strengthening of direct political and diplomatic cooperation, as well as the visit’s wider African dimension.

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Is Tshisekedi playing for time?