DR Congo names new government after months of delay

Democratic Republic of Congo has appointed a new government, spokesperson Tina Salama said in the early hours of Wednesday, ending an impasse that has mired the country in political uncertainty for months.
President Felix Tshisekedi won a second term after elections in late 2023 that also handed his Sacred Union coalition a large majority in parliament. But internal jostling for jobs has delayed the formation of a new cabinet of ministers.
The president eventually named Judith Suminwa as Congo’s first female prime minister on April 1 and his ex-chief of staff Vital Kamerhe as parliament speaker on May 22, paving the way for the appointment of the government.
The new cabinet comprises 54 ministers versus 57 in the last government – a smaller-than-expected downsizing despite pressure to reduce costs.