DRC's Tshisekedi plans unity government in response to rebels' offensive

Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi will launch a unity government, his spokesperson has said, as he faces domestic pressure over his handling of an offensive by Rwanda-backed M23 rebels in eastern provinces.

On Saturday, Tshisekedi told a meeting of the ruling Sacred Union coalition not to be distracted by internal quarrels: "We must unite ... let's stand together to face the enemy."

Presidency spokesperson Tina Salama said Tshisekedi would form a government of national unity and make changes in the leadership of the coalition, without giving further details.

"The President of the Republic announces that he will certainly move towards a government of national unity and changes within the leadership of the sacred union," she said on X.

Since the start of the year, DRC has faced back-to-back losses in North and South Kivu provinces, fuelling criticism of the authorities' military strategy.

"His management is one of the causes of the current crisis," said opposition figure Herve Diakiese, criticising the move to form a unity government.

"Tshisekedi is more concerned with saving his power, whereas we are more concerned with saving the Congo, and this can be done with or without him."

Volatile east

The M23's capture of swathes of eastern Congo and valuable mineral deposits has fanned fears of a wider war and provoked some members of the fractious opposition to openly predict his presidency will not last.

Rwanda has long denied support for M23, even though Kagame has asserted that the rebels deserve to be supported.

Kagame insists that any efforts to end the conflict must address security concerns stemming from lawlessness in eastern Congo as well as persistent discrimination against Congolese Tutsis.

Around 4,000 Rwandan troops are backing up M23, according to UN experts.

Last year, Congo's government reached a short-lived ceasefire deal with Rwanda that was mediated by Angola, and the US is urging the warring parties to return to talk under that deal.

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Source: TRT