Congo legislature mulls law on ‘protecting’ex-presidents

KINSHASA: The two houses of the Democratic Republic of Congo’s legislature on Wednesday were called to an extraordinary session to examine a law “on the status and protection of former presidents”, a move that comes in the runup to a key presidential election. The lower house, the National Assembly, said the session would be begin at midday and run until July 19, state TV reported. SeNators also received messages requesting their attendance. Six issues on “the status of elected former presidents of the republic” are to be debated in the proposed law, a project first aired three years ago. The move comes amid fierce speculation about whether President Joseph Kabila will seek another mandate in the December 23 elections. He is facing a wave of contention over his record as president and refusal to step down when his two terms in office reached their constitutional limit in 2016.