Reports from the Democratic Republic of Congo indicate that President Félix Antoine Tshisekedi may have started preparing his son, Anthony Tshisekedi, to succeed him in power.
Currently, Anthony does not hold any official position in the DRC government.
However, since 2021, he has often accompanied President Tshisekedi on various international trips, even though these visits have largely been kept secret.
One of the rare instances in which Anthony was seen publicly as part of the DRC government delegation was last week when he attended the inauguration of Ghana’s new president, John Mahama Dramani.
This event was also attended by President Félix Antoine Tshisekedi and his wife, Denise Nyakeru Tshisekedi.
One of the photos taken at President John Dramani’s inauguration shows Anthony Tshisekedi standing close to Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame. This image has sparked controversy among Congolese citizens, who question the role that the president’s son holds, which allowed him to attend such a high-profile event.
Speculations grew further last Friday when Anthony also attended the inauguration of Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro as part of a delegation led by the Vice President of the Congolese Senate, José Kalala wa Kalala.
President Tshisekedi was initially expected to attend the event, but he instead returned to the DRC, where he led a High Military Council meeting over the weekend.
Meanwhile, photos have emerged showing Anthony Tshisekedi meeting with President Maduro at the Venezuelan presidential palace.
Reports from the DRC suggest that President Félix Antoine Tshisekedi has made the decision to introduce his son to the political stage, potentially as his successor, should he fail in his attempt to amend the constitution to allow himself to run for a third term.
Tshisekedi is currently engaged in a political struggle to modify the constitution to enable his re-election. However, he faces strong opposition from political figures such as Joseph Kabila, his predecessor, as well as opposition leaders Moïse Katumbi and Martin Fayulu.
It is said that grooming Anthony for leadership is part of a backup plan in case his constitutional amendment efforts fail.
However, journalist Baelenge Irenge reports that Denise Tshisekedi, the First Lady, opposes the idea of Anthony succeeding President Tshisekedi, given that Anthony is not her biological son.
Anthony Tshisekedi standing near President Kagame at Ghana’s presidential inauguration
Anthony Tshisekedi meeting with Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro
