Congolese president visits South Africa

By Hassan Isilow

PRETORIA, South Africa (AA) - Congolese president arrived in the capital Pretoria on Sunday for an official visit to attend a bi-national commission as activists objected whether the visiting head of state could even be termed as a legitimate representative of his people.

President Jacob Zuma hosted his counterpart Joseph Kabila at a presidential guesthouse and called for dialogue to determine the future of Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

“We gather here at a time when your country is going through a political transition following the December 2016 political agreement,” Zuma said in his opening remarks at the meeting.

He congratulated Kabila on the progress he achieved in the country and the manner in which he handled the transitional political process.

“The people of the DRC need to determine and decide their internal political future. The best way to do so is through negotiations and dialogue,” the South African president said.

Last December, Kabila had agreed to step down as president after elections are held before the end of 2017, under an agreement apparently finalized by the government and the opposition. The agreement ended a lengthy stalemate in the country.

Meanwhile, a handful of Congolese activists gathered outside the venue where the South African president hosted his Congolese counterpart.

“We have gathered to protest against Kabila’s official visit to South Africa, because his term in office expired last December,” Esale Prince Mpinda, member of National Council of Congolese for Development, told Anadolu Agency.

Mpinda said since Kabila’s term had expired, he had no right to represent nationals of DRC at regional and international meetings.

“We feel that South Africa shouldn’t have hosted Kabila with the ongoing political crisis in the DRC,” Congolese activist Kanyiki Ngooyi told Anadolu Agency.

The activists, who numbered around 15, chanted outside the presidential guest calling on Kabila to resign.