Kinshasa, Aug 13 (IANS): Jean-Michel Sama Lukonde Kyenge, former Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), was elected President of the Senate.

The former Congo head of government, who took office in February 2021 and resigned in February 2024, was elected President of the DRC parliament's upper house with 84 votes out of 95 during a ballot to elect the members of a permanent bureau, reports Xinhua news agency.

Sama Lukonde, a candidate of the Sacred Union, a coalition of political parties around DRC President Felix Tshisekedi, promised his fellow senators earlier in the day to build an "efficient, modern and accessible" Senate.

Sama Lukonde thus succeeded Modeste Bahati Lukwebo late on Monday, also a candidate of the Sacred Union, who was elected second Vice President. Jose Kalala Wa Kalala, a candidate designated by the Sacred Union, was elected first Vice President.

According to the DRC Constitution, in the event of a vacancy, the majority of the functions of the President of the republic are provisionally exercised by the Senate President.