Kinshasa, June 17th 2021 (CPA).– The closing of the ordinary session of March 2021 in the Senate, due to take place on June 15th in accordance with the Constitution, has been delayed, announced late in the evening, at the People’s Palace, the president of the Senate , Modest Bahati Lukwebo.
The Presidents of the National Assembly and the Senate had, in this regard, concentration meetings to find out what to expect, with regard to the 3rd wave of COVID 19, because of which we should keep the deputies and remote senators.
Despite the state of siege, the extension of which for 15 days was authorized by Parliament, the government was obliged to submit the draft enabling law to the Senate. The Senate has, moreover, voted this text of law which was to allow the government to make ordinance-laws.
COVID 19 is considered force majeure. We must let the government legislate by ordinance-law, even if it means ratifying these laws when the September session resumes, said the President of the Senate before suspending the session around 9:00 p.m.
The Senate rejects the prosecutor’s request to the Constitutional Court
In addition, the plenary assembly of the Senate rejected, on the same Tuesday evening, the indictments of the General Attorney of the Constitutional Court in view of the legal proceedings against Senators Augustin Matata Ponyo, former Prime Minister, and Ms. Ida Kamonji Naserwa, Senator, in connection with the agricultural project of Bukanga Lonzo, in Kwango province, east of Kinshasa.
The Upper House of Parliament had to vote, at the end of which 49 senators said no to the authorization of legal proceedings against Augustin Matata Ponyo, 46 for and one abstention.
Likewise, 45 senators voted « Yes » for the authorization of legal proceedings against Senator Ida Kamonji Naserwa, former administrator of Bukanga Lonzo agricultural project and 51 against, for 96 voters. The former Prime Minister, Augustin Matata Ponyo thanked, at the end of the vote, the office of the Senate and all the senators who did not authorize the Constitutional court to prosecute him for embezzlement.
For him, it is a tribute to the truth that has triumphed on this issue. He also asserted the triumph of transparency and good governance, despite, he said, the various facts created in social networks on Bukanga Lonzo of which he was responsible for creation.
« The plenary decided independently and responding to the will of the silent majority, » said Augustin Matata Ponyo.
Bukanga Lonzo Agricultural Park has been the object of a campaign of sabotage, said the elected official of Maniema, adding that it was a large-scale project with the dimension of grandeur of DRC.
ACP /