Editor’s Note: Every Friday, Andrew Green curates the top news and analysis from and about the African continent. Subscribers can adjust their newsletter settings to receive Africa Watch by email every week.
The Democratic Republic of Congo’s uneasy ruling coalition collapsed last Sunday, when President Felix Tshisekedi said in a televised address that his party would end its alliance with former President Joseph Kabila’s grouping. The announcement sparked violent clashes in Parliament this week between members of the two factions, raising fears of a prolonged power struggle in the conflict-wracked country.
Tshisekedi moved quickly to take the upper hand, as the lower house of Parliament, the National Assembly, ousted Kabila ally Jeanine Mabunda as speaker Thursday, potentially clearing the way for the formation of a new coalition loyal only to Tshisekedi. If he is successful in building a majority, it would allow Tshisekedi to appoint his own Cabinet and consolidate power ahead of the 2023 presidential election, when Kabila is eligible to run again.