Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development & Climatic Economy Stephanie Mbombo has been forced to give up her new portfolio as President Félix Tshisekedi and Prime Minister Judith Suminwa Tuluka move to include a native of Maniema Province in the newly formed government.
Elected officials from the region recently threatened to submit an appeal before the Constitutional Court against the new government for a lack of inclusiveness with 50% of the cabinet comprising of the President’s Kasai tribe-mates and no representative for Maniema.
To avert the petition against the new government, Stephanie Mbombo has since been asked to step aside for the appointment of a Maniema native to cabinet.
According to a press release from the Prime Minister’s Office published on Tuesday evening, Stephanie Mbombo has cited “personal reasons” for her premature resignation.
“Her Excellency Madam Prime Minister, Head of Government, informed His Excellency the President of the Republic, Head of State, who took note of it and, consequently, relieved Madam Stéphanie MBOMBO MUAMBA of this high office. The person concerned, devoid of quality, can no longer bind the Government of the Republic from this day onwards” the statement from the office of the Prime Minister reads.
“Stephanie Mbombo before her entry into the Suminwa government, the first of Félix Tshisekedi’s second five-year term, worked as a member of the personal service of the Head of State as Special Envoy of the President of the Republic for the new climate economy.”
Stephanie Mbombo’s resignation comes barely a few days after the official inauguration of the new Suminwa government by the National Assembly.
The resignation of Stéphanie Mbombo means the the Suminwa government has been reduced to 53 members before a replacement is made.
