The Democratic Republic of Congo’s newly announced government, led by Prime Minister Judith Suminwa Tuluka, has sparked sharp criticism from the country’s civil society, which views the reshuffle as a missed opportunity to meet the people’s urgent demands.
On Friday, August 8, the Supreme Council of Civil Society (SCC) expressed “deep disappointment” over the composition of the Suminwa II government, lamenting that it fails to reflect the renewal so widely anticipated by the Congolese population.
Carlos Mupili, SCC’s national president, condemned “the reappointment of a large number of ministers without a convincing record,” accusing both the head of state and the prime minister of betraying the hopes of the nation.
“At a time when the country faces a dire security crisis in the east, rampant poverty, a fragile education system, social injustice, crumbling infrastructure, inadequate health services, and a faltering administration, the people expected a government founded on meritocracy, integrity and competence,” Mupili said.
Instead, he lamented that “incompetence has been rewarded and meritocracy sent to the morgue.” While acknowledging the retention of some ministers such as Jean-Pierre Lihau (Civil Service), Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner (Foreign Affairs), Julien Paluku (Foreign Trade), Thérèse Sombo (Higher Education), Guy Kabombo Mwadiamvita (Defense), and the appointment of Adolphe Muzito, the council warned that keeping ineffective figures amounted to “signing the death certificate of good governance.”
The SCC also criticized a “dangerous trend” among certain government members who mask shortcomings with populist rhetoric, including repeated attacks on former President Joseph Kabila. “Insulting the former head of state is no substitute for concrete action,” Mupili insisted.
The council urged Prime Minister Suminwa to “break away from political logic” and embrace her role as coordinator of the government to spearhead genuine reforms.
For her part, Suminwa described her reappointment as “a source of motivation in the face of the immensity of the challenges,” including ongoing “Rwandan aggression.” In a statement, she thanked outgoing ministers, congratulated those reappointed, and welcomed new entrants, calling on all to demonstrate “sacrifice, dignity, and rigor.”
Charged with executing the Government Action Program 2024-2028 adopted by the National Assembly, the Suminwa II government’s retention of key figures from the previous cabinet signals continuity—but for civil society, words alone no longer suffice. “The Congolese expect results, not promises,” Carlos Mupili concluded.
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