Augustin Matata Ponyo, then Democratic Republic of Congo prime minister, pictured during an interview in Kinshasa on April 13, 2015. By Federico Scoppa (AFP/File)

Kinshasa (AFP) - Congolese Prime Minister Augustin Matata Ponyo resigned Monday to make way for an opposition figure to take his place following talks aimed at averting a political crisis.

"I have offered my resignation as well as those of the members of my government... to respond to the spirit and the letter of the accord," said Matata as he left a meeting with President Joseph Kabila, referring to the deal struck after a political dialogue boycotted by the main opposition parties. </s> Congolese Prime Minister Augustin Matata Ponyo resigned Monday to make way for an opposition figure to take his place following talks aimed at averting a political crisis.

"I have offered my resignation as well as those of the members of my government... to respond to the spirit and the letter of the accord," said Matata as he left a meeting with President Joseph Kabila, referring to the deal struck after a political dialogue boycotted by the main opposition parties. </s> Congolese Prime Minister Augustin Matata Ponyo resigned on Monday as part of the national dialogue framework agreement which stipulates that an opposition leader takes the position of Prime Minister.

The agreement was signed in October by the ruling party and some opposition parties endorsing the 2018 presidential election date proposed by the electoral commission and for President Joseph Kabila to remain in office till then.

“I tender my resignation as the Prime Minister and that of members of my government to meet the spirit and letter of the agreement,” Augustin Matata Ponyo said at the end of an audience with President Kabila.

Matata who has been the Prime Minister since 2012, said his government has done a “valuable work with a positive picture of the economy”.

“From the macroeconomic point of view we have achieved unprecedented performances in terms of exchange rate stability, even though in the last few months there have been [some] upheavals linked in particular to the international crisis,” he added.

The president is expected to address the nation on Tuesday in front of the congress, leader of the majority and president of the National Assembly Aubin Minaku announced.

The political agreement signed under the watch of the African Union-appointed facilitator Edem Kodjo, was endorsed by the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon who called for a “peaceful transition for peaceful elections.”

However, the agreement was opposed by the major opposition coalition which described it as non-inclusive and promised to protest till Kabila steps down when his mandate originally ends in December. </s> Democratic Republic of Congo Prime Minister Samy Badibanga has handed in his resignation as part of a deal brokered by the Catholic church to end a political crisis in the country, UN-backed Radio Okapi reports .

It follows a speech yesterday from President Joseph Kabila, in which he told MPs that he would name an opposition prime minister within the next 48 hours.

Mr Kabila said he would stick to the electoral calendar agreed as part of the deal with the opposition, which requires polls to be held before the end of 2017.

There has been growing unrest in the country after he failed to step down when his second and final term in office ran out in December.

Mr Badibanga handed in his notice at the presidential palace in the capital Kinshasa, Radio Okapi adds, quoting one of his aides.
Augustin Matata Ponyo resigns as Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.