The Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sylvestre Ilunga Ilunkamba, has resigned after vote of no confidence by the country’s Parliament.
The move will allow President Felix Tshisekedi to appoint his own prime minister, supported by a new parliamentary majority.
Prime Minister Sylvestre Ilunga Ilunkamba was constitutionally required to resign after being censured by the National Assembly.
He is a close ally to former President Joseph Kabila whose supporters have been locked in a tussle for power with Tshisekedi since he took office two years ago after Kabila resigned from office.
Spokesman of the government, Giscard Kusema said that llunga “said he had drawn the consequences of the developing political situation”.
Kusema said it was “too soon” to say when Tshisekedi would appoint the next prime minister.
Ilunga, 73, was appointed by Tshisekedi in May 2019 under a power-sharing deal that he and Kabila struck when handing over the presidency – the first peaceful transition in the Congo’s history.
Kabila’s decision to step down after 18 years in office paved way for elections in December 2018 that were controversially won by Tshisekedi, the son of a veteran opposition leader.
