After months of discord and a potential threat of parliament dissolution by President Felix Tshisekedi, Vital Kamerhe, a veteran of Congolese politics, has returned to a familiar role. On Wednesday, Kamerhe was elected as the Speaker of the National Assembly, a position he previously held from 2006 to 2009.
Kamerhe, 65, allied with Tshisekedi in 2018 when he withdrew his candidacy for the presidency. His Union for the Congolese Nation party played a pivotal role in assisting Tshisekedi in breaking away from the coalition with former President Joseph Kabila in 2020.
However, Kamerhe’s political journey has been marked by challenges. As Tshisekedi’s chief of staff, he faced legal troubles, including allegations of embezzlement, for which he was sentenced to 20 years in prison. In 2022, he was acquitted on appeal and released.
Returning to Tshisekedi’s administration in 2023 as Minister of the Economy, Kamerhe played a role in the president’s successful bid for a second term in the subsequent elections.
Kamerhe’s re-election as Speaker of the Parliament signals a significant development in Congolese politics and sets the stage for the formation of a new government under Tshisekedi’s leadership.
