Business in DR Congo's main cities suffered a complete paralysis on Monday due to a general strike over President Joseph Kabila's failure to abide by a power-sharing deal. An alliance of opposition parties, known as the Rally, urged the Congolese to stop work in protest of Kabila's failure to implement the terms of three-month old reconciliation deal that includes holding transparent presidential elections. In late December, the conflicting sides approved the deal under which Kabila would accept a power-sharing and appoint a prime minister from the opposition. The deal signed under patronage of the Catholic Church followed African Union-sponsored talks between September and October. Press reports said business in the capital Kinshasa and in the country's second city Lubumbashi were utterly paralyzed. Transport stations were not working and all stores remained closed. Congolese people named the strike the "Dead Cities". Few people were seen in the usually overflowing streets. Police forces were heavily deployed in the empty squares. The crisis in the impoverished West African nation started when Kabila refused to leave power after his constitutional mandate expired last year with the end of his second five-year term. Kabila, born in 1971, ascended to power ten days after the assassination of his father, President Laurent-Désiré Kabila in 2001. He was elected as President in 2006. In 2011, he was re-elected for a second term. The opposition forces also called for a peaceful march on Wednesday followed by similar marches between April 10-24 to set the December deal in force. Kabila stipulates he must nominate three candidates of the opposition alliance for the prime minister post. A spokesman for the opposition said these conditions may escalate popular anger to sweeping protests calling for his departure.
