03/11/2024
Translated from French by
#RDC :
Successful baptism of fire for the young governor of Tanganyika,
@ChrisKitungwa
Elected head of Tanganyika last April at not even 37 years old, Christian Kitungwa Muteba welcomed this week in his province President Félix Tshisekedi, the entire government and all the governors of the country, transforming for a few days Kalemie, its capital, into the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
This week, the capital of Tanganyika, a province located in the southeast of the DRC and resulting from the dismemberment of the former Katanga, replaced Kinshasa. "For a few days, Kalemie will be the capital of the DRC," assured Governor Christian Kitungwa on his X account. He was not mistaken. This Tuesday, November 26, Félix Tshisekedi landed on the tarmac of the former Alberville airport. A very warm handshake with Christian Kitungwa, accompanied for the occasion by his wife.
The Head of State comes to chair the 11th session of the Conference of Governors. And it is Tanganyika that was chosen for the occasion. This will not be, far from it, the only event of the week. Because on the ground, the agenda is busy. Very busy even. Wednesday, Félix Tshisekedi launches the work of the 11th session of the conference of governors. The next day, in his capacity as supreme commander of the armed forces, he chairs an expanded security council. The subject is one of the major concerns locally due to the presence of several armed groups (Twa-Bantu, Maï-Maï, etc.). The following day, Friday, the entire government met in Kalemie for a decentralized council of ministers. Not so common in the DRC. To prove itself worthy, the former Albertville has had a makeover. The streets are spick and span. Not a single piece of paper is lying around.
The very dynamic governor of the province, Christian Kitungwa Muteba, has personally ensured this. Because, as he knows, even if he is not a complete novice in politics, this is a bit of his entry into the deep end. His baptism of fire.
Last April, at not yet 37 years old,
Christian Kitungwa Muteba, is a member of the AB platform, the political grouping of Guy Loando and Sama Lukonde, succeeded Julie Ngungwa of the UDPS as head of the province, winning the governorship election by a wide margin by 17 votes out of a possible 25.
A few months earlier, in December 2023, during the national legislative elections, he had been acclaimed as Deputy by the voters of his constituency of Kalemie. Since officially taking office in July 2024, Christian Kitungwa, one of whose great qualities is knowing how to surround himself well, has not been idle.
Among other things, he has adopted a five-year development plan worth nearly $700 million, formed his provincial government and set his major priorities, including security, infrastructure and employment.
To create activity in his province, Christian Kitungua spares no effort. Strengthening relations with countries in the region: Tanzania, Zambia or Burundi. Promoting his province internationally as in this month of October, during a mission to France during which he increased contacts with potential investors. Etc.
Although Tanganyika is less well-endowed than the neighboring provinces of Lualaba and Haut-Katanga, it has many assets to put forward. Christian Kitungwa never misses an opportunity to point this out.
"We have everything in Tanganyika, mines, because we are the world capital of lithium; but also enormous agricultural and fish farming potential as well as in clean energy, whether hydraulic, solar or wind," he insists. And he adds: "Tanganyika is a gateway to other provinces in the DRC. But it is also access to a vast regional and international market thanks to the opening onto the Indian Ocean." The port of Kigoma in Tanzania is admittedly only 125 km away.
x.com
