DRC CRISIS WORRIES LUNGU

Tue, 26 Sep 2017 11:47:28 +0000

By Aaron Chiyanzo

PRESIDENT Edgar Lungu says the disturbance in the Democratic Republic of Congo is an issue of concern to all SADC member countries which needs urgent attention.

The SADC region is concerned with the crisis in the DRC and should be addressed collectively because it concerns everyone in the block.

Speaking before departure to Angola, the President said he would use the opportunity to discuss the issue with his counterparts.

Mr Lungu said it was not his wish to interfere in the internal affairs of DRC but the issue was worryying  because of the number of people being displaced.

He said it was necessary for the region to work together to help the DRC.

President Lungu has also said peaceful transition of power by Angolan President José Eduardo dos Santos after 37 years to Defence Minister João Lourenço has set a new era of the democratisation process in Africa.

After nearly four decades in power, President dos Santos, the second longest serving leader in Africa,  will today officially hand over power to a new President.

He has talked of stepping down in the past, but this time the ailing dos Santos, who has received medical treatment in Spain, is set to peacefully hand over power.

The heir apparent is the country’s 62-year-old Defense Minister João Lourenço, who contested the election on the ruling party’s ticket, a choice which surprised many Angolans who thought dos Santos would try to hand over power to one of his children.

And President Lungu said that the election of President-elect, Lourenco was a clear sign that democracy had come to stay in Africa.

President Lungu reiterated that peaceful transition of power in Angola had set a new era of the democratisation process in Africa.

Mr Lungu was speaking on arrival in Angola yesterday, where he has traveled to attend the inauguration of Mr Lourenco.