ALEXIS HUGUET / AFP | DR Congo president Felix Tshisekedi (C) greets the crowd upon his arrival at the airport of Goma, North-Kivu Province, on April 14, 2019

DR Congo President Felix Tshisekedi on Monday named the head of the country's railways, Sylvestre Ilunga Ilukamba, as the next prime minister, a move that came nearly four months after his inauguration.

Ilunga Ilukumba was appointed under a political agreement between Tshisekedi and his predecessor, Joseph Kabila, presidential spokesman Kasongo Mwema Yamba Yamba said.

Ilukamba was previously the head of Congo's national railway company, known as the SNCC. He was also finance minister under former president Mobutu Sese Seko. </s> KINSHASA (Reuters) - Sylvestre Ilunga Ilukamba, a career politician and ally of former President Joseph Kabila, was appointed as Democratic Republic of Congo’s prime minister on Monday, the government said in a statement.

Ilukamba was previously the head of Congo’s national railway company, known as the SNCC, and has served in various government posts since the 1970s, according to an official biography released on Monday.

Felix Tshisekedi won long-delayed presidential elections in Dec. 30, 2018, defeating a candidate officially backed by Kabila, whose own term limit was up.

Opposition politicians say the result was rigged in a secret deal between Kabila’s and Tshisekedi’s camps under which Kabila would officially step down but maintain control, a charge they both denied.

Forming a new government has taken months, in part because of disagreements over the appointment of a Prime Minister. Kabila had wanted Tshisekedi to appoint Albert Yuma, a Kabila ally and chairman of state mining company Gecamines, but Tshisekedi refused because of Yuma’s checkered history, sources familiar with the matter said.

Under Congo’s constitution, the candidate must come from the ranks of the parliamentary majority, Kabila’s Common Front for Congo (FCC). Ilukamba is also from Katanga, the same mineral-rich part of the country as Kabila.

Despite concerns, the appointment marks at least an official move on from Kabila’s 18-year rule. On Monday, Congolese opposition leader Moise Katumbi returned home from three years in exile, one of a series of indicted politicians cleared under Tshisekedi’s administration.

Thousands of supporters came out to welcome Katumbi at the airport in Lubumbashi, the main city in his political heartland in the copper-mining Katanga region.

“I’m happy to be back home, the truth always triumphs,” he said.

Tshisekedi has pardoned 700 prisoners including three political opponents of his predecessor Joseph Kabila since coming to power in January.

His supporters say the moves point to a new era political openness after years of suppression of opposition figures.

Katumbi fled the country in May 2016 in the face of accusations he had hired mercenaries as part of a plot against Kabila’s government.

He was then sentenced in absentia to three years in prison for real estate fraud - both charges his supporters said were aimed at preventing him from running in an election to replace Kabila.

But Katumbi’s fraud conviction was overturned by an appeals court last month. And prosecutors said they had also dropped their investigations into the mercenary accusations “given that the president of the republic has made easing political tensions his priority”. </s> KINSHASA (Reuters) - Democratic Republic of Congo’s President Felix Tshisekedi has named Sylvestre Ilunga Ilukamba as prime minister, his spokesman said in a statement on national television on Monday.

Ilukamba was previously the head of Congo’s national railway company, known as the SNCC. He was also Finance minister under former President Mobutu Sese Seko. </s> KINSHASA, July 26 (Reuters) - Allies of Congo President Felix Tshisekedi and his predecessor Joseph Kabila said they had reached an agreement on Friday on the division of cabinet posts between the two political camps.

Negotiations have dragged on since Tshisekedi's inauguration in January. They have been seen as a test of the power balance between the president and Kabila, who governed Democratic Republic of Congo for 18 years and maintains significant influence over state institutions.

It will also control the ministry of the public portfolio, which oversees state companies like copper and cobalt miner Gecamines, a joint venture partner of Glencore and China Molybdenum , they said.

Tshisekedi's CACH coalition will control the fourth main ministry, foreign affairs, as well as the ministries of the interior, budget and economy, the sources said.

The FCC's demands that it control of most of the highest-profile ministries by virtue of its sizable majorities in parliament had held up the talks.

"An agreement has just been found this Friday between the FCC and CACH," the FCC said in a tweet. "The FCC pays tribute to ... Joseph Kabila and his partner President Felix Tshisekedi for their positive drive and complete involvement."

Francois Muamba, who is close to Tshisekedi, also said on Twitter that a deal had been reached.

The three sources said the names of the ministers would be discussed over the weekend.

Jean-Baudouin Mayo, one of Tshisekedi's negotiators, said this week that the new government would have 65 members - 42 from Kabila's camp and 23 from Tshisekedi's - larger than any of Kabila's governments.

Kabila was barred by constitutional term limits from standing in the Dec. 30 election, leading to Congo's first transfer of power at the ballot box after decades marked by coups and civil conflict.

Tshisekedi won a surprise victory ahead of Kabila's preferred successor, former interior minister Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary, and opposition leader Martin Fayulu.

Multiple sources told Reuters the results were rigged to prevent Fayulu, who was seen as more hostile to Kabila's interests than Tshisekedi, from winning.

Kabila and Tshisekedi's camps deny the vote was rigged or that they struck any deal before the results were announced.

Tshisekedi named Sylvestre Ilunga, a Kabila ally, as prime minister in May. The two sides also formed a coalition in parliament, but they have quarrelled over appointments and Tshisekedi's criticisms of Kabila's government as dictatorial and corrupt. </s> Lubumbashi (DR Congo) (AFP) - DR Congo President Felix Tshisekedi on Monday named a government veteran, Sylvestre Ilunga Ilunkamba, as the next prime minister, a move that came nearly four months after his inauguration.

Ilunga Ilunkamba was appointed under "the political agreement" between Tshisekedi and his predecessor Joseph Kabila "regarding the creation of a coalition government," presidential spokesman Kasongo Mwema Yamba Yamba said.

Illunga Ilunkamba, whose government career spans decades, replaces Bruno Tshibala, who had been appointed by Kabila in 2017. Ilunga Ilunkamba's aides gave his age as 78.

Tshisekedi was sworn in on January 24 after elections that marked the Democratic Republic of Congo's first peaceful transition of power since the vast country gained independence from Belgium in 1960.

But the vote was marred by allegations of rigging, and Tshisekedi is struggling to push through with pledges of reform.

The country's politics remain overshadowed by Kabila, who amassed extensive clout after 18 years in power.

His political allies retain the upper hand in parliament, provincial assemblies and governorships across the unstable country. His men also play a major role in security services.

Ilunga Ilunkamba, speaking to the press after meeting Tshisikedi, said, " I would like to thank his excellency, Joseph Kabila Kabange, who proposed me as prime minister and assured me of his trust."

He vowed to throw himself into ensuring the "harmonious governance of the coalition."

Tshisekedi told him the priorities would be "social, meaning education, health, security and establishing peace," he said.

A PhD in economics from the University of Kinshasa, Ilunga Ilunkamba began his political career under former dictator Mobutu Sese Seko, who was overthrown in 1997.

His long record in government includes four spells as vice minister and two as minister for planning and finance. Prior to his new appointment, he was director general of the DRC's railway corporation, the SNCC.

- Katumbi returns -

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Meanwhile, thousands of people welcomed Moise Katumbi, a prominent foe of Kabila, as he landed at Lubumbashi airport on Monday after three years in self-imposed exile.

Katumbi, 54, a wealthy businessman of mixed Greek and Congolese origin, served as the elected governor of Katanga in southeastern DR Congo before the province was divided up in a territorial revision.

He was once an ally of Kabila but the pair fell out. Katumbi was given a three-year jail term in absentia for alleged property fraud -- an accusation he denied -- and was barred from standing in last December's elections.

The conviction was annulled before Katumbi flew back to his homeland three years to the day after he left for Belgium.

"The truth always triumphs in the end," Katumbi, the owner and president of the renowned TP ("All Powerful") Mazemba football club, told his fans at the airport.

"I return for peace and for national reconstruction in our country," he said.

Katumbi returned in a private jet to find supporters, many dressed in white, lining the road between the airport and the centre of Lubumbashi, now the capital of mineral-rich Haut-Katanga province.

He has also been an opponent of Tshisekedi and has yet to make clear what role he plans to play.

In the December 30 election, Katumbi backed Martin Fayulu, another wealthy businessman, who claims he was denied victory thanks to a back-room deal between Kabila and Tshisekedi.

Monday's developments coincided with a visit by French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, the highest-ranking European official to come to Kinshasa since the election.

The French minister pledged "a programme of 300 million euros ($335 million) for the duration of Mr Tshisekedi's mandate" in sectors including development, training, health, security, agriculture and energy. </s> KINSHASA, July 26 (Reuters) - Congo President Felix Tshisekedi and his predecessor Joseph Kabila reached an agreement on Friday to divide the main security and economic cabinet posts roughly evenly between their two camps, three sources familiar with the negotiations said.

Kabila's FCC and Tshisekedi's CACH coalitions both announced publicly that an agreement had been reached after six months of negotiations over the formation of a new government, but they did not immediately provide details.

The discussions since Tshisekedi's inauguration in January have been seen as a test of the power balance between Tshisekedi and Kabila, who governed Congo for 18 years and maintains significant influence over state institutions.

"An agreement has just been found this Friday between the FCC and CACH," the FCC said in a tweet. "The FCC pays tribute to ... Joseph Kabila and his partner President Felix Tshisekedi for their positive drive and complete involvement."

Francois Muamba, who is close to Tshisekedi, also said on Twitter that a deal had been reached. The three sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the names of the ministers would be discussed over the weekend.

They said the FCC would control the ministries of defence, finance, justice as well as the ministry of the public portfolio, which oversees state companies like copper and cobalt miner Gecamines, a joint venture partner of Glencore and China Molybdenum .

CACH will control the ministries of the interior, foreign affairs, budget and economy, the sources said.

Kabila was barred by constitutional term limits from standing in the Dec. 30 election, leading to Congo's first transfer of power at the ballot box after decades marked by coups and civil conflict.

Tshisekedi won a surprise victory ahead of Kabila's preferred successor, former interior minister Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary, and opposition leader Martin Fayulu.

Multiple sources told Reuters the results were rigged to prevent Fayulu, who was seen as more hostile to Kabila's interests than Tshisekedi, from winning.

Kabila and Tshisekedi's camps deny the vote was rigged or that they struck any deal before the results were announced.

Tshisekedi named Sylvestre Ilunga, a Kabila ally, as prime minister in May. The two sides also formed a coalition in parliament, but they have quarrelled over appointments and Tshisekedi's criticisms of Kabila's government as dictatorial and corrupt. </s> Kinshasa. The two rival political camps in DR Congo Friday forged a pact on forming a government, six months after President Felix Tshisekedi took power from veteran ruler Joseph Kabila, officials said.

Tshisekedi was elected in December to replace Kabila who presided over sub-Saharan Africa's biggest country for nearly two decades.

He took power at the end of January but has struggled to form a government as Kabila's Common Front for Congo (FCC) coalition won comfortable majorities in both houses of parliament as well as provincial assemblies.

Tshisekedi's CACH alliance in the legislature has been holding tortuous talks with the FCC to break the stalemate.

"An agreement has just been reached on Friday between the FCC and CACH," Nehemie Mwilanya, the coordinator of the pro-Kabila alliance, announced on Twitter.

He said Prime Minister Sylvestre Ilunkamba, who was proposed by Kabila and backed by Tshisekedi, could be formally nominated as early as next week.

"This will be a government of 65 members: 42 coming from the FCC and 23 from CACH," said Jean-Baudouin Mayo, a negotiator for CACH.

Mwilanya said both sides had made "reciprocal concessions" but neither provided details on who would get key ministries such as interior, defence, economy, finance and mining.

"Now we are going to join forces. That is to say we will be of the same political family," Tshisekedi said a month ago.

Tshisekedi emerged victorious in elections that marked the Democratic Republic of Congo's first peaceful transition of power since the vast mineral-rich country gained independence from Belgium in 1960.

But the vote was marred by allegations of rigging, and Tshisekedi is struggling to push ahead with pledges of reform.
After several months of negotiations, President Félix Tshisekedi names Sylvestre Ilunga Ilukamba as the new Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of the Congo in an agreement with former president Joseph Kabila. He had not appointed a prime minister since being elected in December 2018.