National legislators in the Democratic Republic of Congo have elected Vital Kamerhe as speaker in a delayed vote, five months after a presidential poll.
As Speaker of the Central African country, Kamerhe becomes the second most important authority.
Kamerhe, 65, secured 371 votes out of the 407 votes cast on Monday to emerge as speaker. The MPs are also expected to vote on candidacies for six other positions in the lower house.
With this, Congo may now name a government, which it has not had since the December 2023 presidential victory of Tshisekedi.
Tshisekedi appointed Judith Suminwa as the country’s first female prime minister on April 1.
On May 19, security forces in the country said they had averted an attempted coup and repelled an attack on Kamerhe’s home in the centre of the capital, Kinshasa.
According to Kamerhe’s spokesman, Michel Moto Muhima, two guards were killed in the attack.
At least 90% of elected members of the 500 seats in parliament are members of the Sacred Union, Tshisekedi’s coalition.
Kamerhe, who served as Tshisekedi’s chief of staff and as deputy prime minister of the economy, was arrested in 2020 on graft charges.