DRC’s Tshisekedi on a three-nation regional tour President Felix Tshisekedi (left) and President Joao Lourenco in the Angolan capital Luanda, during the first leg of his regional tour on Tuesday. – AFP

NAIROBI/LUANDA. – President of the Democratic Republic of Congo, DRC, Felix Tshisekedi arrived in the Kenyan capital Nairobi on Wednesday for the second-leg of his three-nation tour.

Kenya is his first English-speaking destination since taking over the reins from Joseph Kabila in late January. The handover marked the country’s first-ever peaceful transfer of power since independence from Belgium in 1960.

President Tshisekedi is expected to hold bilateral talks with his Kenyan counterpart Uhuru Kenyatta. He was received at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport by Kenya’s Foreign Affairs Minister and other top government officials. His first stop was in Angola on Tuesday, January 5.

It is worthy of note that President Kenyatta was the only African Head of State that attended Tshisekedi’s investiture. He was accompanied by political rival now ally Raila Amolo Odinga.

On Tuesday President Tshisekedi challenged his political rival Martin Fayulu to present evidence challenging the outcome of last month’s election.

He made the remarks as he visited neighbouring Angola on his first trip abroad since being sworn. “I know that there have been some imperfections, some irregularities in these elections, but overall it went well because this change of leadership was done peacefully,” President Tshisekedi told reporters.

Standing by his Angolan counterpart Joao Lourenco, the Congolese president dismissed any controversy over his victory. “To this day, I’m still waiting for the evidence of the one who challenges the verdict of the Constitutional Court. I still have not seen anything,” President Tshisekedi said, referring to Fayulu.

President Tshisekedi also confirmed that he was ready to share power with Kabila’s supporters who control parliament after winning an overwhelming majority in national assembly. “There is no agreement yet, but there are discussions… I undertook to send a message of conciliation to Mr. Joseph Kabila and his friends,” President Tshisekedi said.

His final stop will be in Brazzaville, capital of Congo Republic where he is supposed to confer with President Denis Sassou-Nguesso and other officials. The two Congos have historic ties that date back decades. Separated by the River Congo, authorities announced a US$550m plan to build a bridge to link their respective capital – Kinshasa and Brazzaville. – AFP/HR

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