Group of global legislators urge Kabila to leave office when term ends

Members of Parliaments from Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific and the European Union have urged President of the Democratic Republic of Congo Joseph Kabila to step down at the end of his second term on 20 December.

The MP’s made the call at the 31st Joint Parliamentary Assembly session of the ACP-EU, held in Windhoek, Namibia.

A tremendous amount of uncertainty surrounds the organizing of the elections, which would ostensibly usher in a new president and mark the first peaceful transition of power in the history of the country.

President Kabila’s plans for 2016 remain unclear as he has neither confirmed his intention to step down nor vie for re-election. But speculation is rife that he will seek another term, which the Constitution does not allow.

The leaders unanimously approved a resolution condemning all acts of political violence in the Central African country and called for a “successful development and timely elections, which will be crucial to the stability and long-term development of the country and whole region

Agencies