Vital Kamerhe was designated this Tuesday, April 23 as candidate of the Sacred Union of the Nation (USN) for the post of president of the final office of the National Assembly. He has just won the primary election organized by the Majority to decide between three candidates for the post of speaker of the Lower House of Parliament.
The president of the UNC won 183 votes out of 372 voters, mainly USN deputies.
Vital Kamerhe, former president of the National Assembly under former President Joseph Kabila, had as competitors Modeste Bahati, outgoing president of the Senate and Christophe Mboso, outgoing president of the National Assembly.
Christophe Mboso totaled 113 votes while Modeste Bahati was chosen by 69 USN deputies. Seven ballots were declared invalid.
Well before this election, Vital Kamerhe explained, in front of the deputies of his political family, his vision of governance. He promised to highlight his commitment to increased transparency in the management of public affairs and to improve the image of the National Assembly.
“I am for the Congolese people to be enlightened on the management of public affairs. In my time, the debates were lively and constructive, we had exchanges of solid arguments in Parliament”declared Vital Kamerhe.
He also stressed the importance of loyalty and efficiency in the exercise of power.
“Loyalty does not exclude efficiency. We must be active and proactive, not just touts or flatterers”he added.
For him, “the Assembly must lead by example, improve its image. She is responsible for holding the Government to account, while the Prime Minister is responsible to MPs.”
Unique candidate of the USN
This primary election to the Sacred Union of the Nation (USN), was organized to allow the majority coalition in the National Assembly to nominate the next candidate president of the Lower House of Parliament of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
“For lack of consensus between the three candidates during a meeting of the Presidium then during separate contact with the Head of the political platform, the Sacred Union of the Nation, Félix Tshisekedi, it was decided on their own proposal to ‘organize primaries’explained in his intervention, Augustin Kabuya, member of the Presidium of the USN and secretary general of the Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS), presidential party.
Vital Kamerhe is thus the sole USN candidate for the post of President of the National Assembly.