KAMITATU DECIDES TO ABIDE BY SUPREME COURT RULING

UNCLAS KINSHASA 000544 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV KDEM CG SUBJECT: KAMITATU DECIDES TO ABIDE BY SUPREME COURT RULING REF: KINSHASA 504 ¶1. (U) In a carefully worded statement, Olivier Kamitatu announced April 3 that he will "abide by" the February Supreme Court decision requiring him to abandon his post as President of the National Assembly so that he "does not constitute an obstacle" to the business of the Assembly in the months before the country's national elections. Kamitatu held the presidency by virtue of his appointment to the position by his former political party, the Movement for the Liberation of Congo (MLC). Kamitatu's advisers have confirmed his resignation to PolOff, although Kamitatu himself has never publicly used the word "resignation." Kamitatu made his announcement shortly after meeting with President Kabila, who reportedly finally convinced Kamitatu to step aside. Kamitatu has said he is now going to focus his energies on his new political party, the Alliance for the Renaissance of Congo (ARC). ¶2. (U) Kamitatu's departure paves the way for Thomas Luhaka, nominated to replace Kamitatu by the MLC, to become the next National Assembly President. Luhaka, for his part, reported on April 5 that the National Assembly's executive bureau has "taken action" on his designation. This eliminates any lingering impediment to Luhaka's serving as president at the next session of the National Assembly. ¶3. (SBU) Comment: Kamitatu's careful wording -- agreeing to abide by the judicial decision while never openly stating that he has resigned -- may be an attempt to leave the door open for a challenge in the very unlikely event that the National Assembly's Political and Justice Commission (PAJ) ultimately decides to invalidate (or simply not accept) the Supreme Court's ruling. In any event, although the wrangling over the National Assembly presidency appears now to be over, Olivier Kamitatu continues to work behind the scenes to strengthen support for his own political future. End comment. MEECE