Congolese hoping for peace

Ordinary people just want an end to the violence

On the streets of Kinshasa, ordinary people have been telling the BBC how they feel about the new transitional government in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The power-sharing deal, led by President Joseph Kabila, is aimed at ending nearly five years of war.

Four-vice presidents have been sworn in - two from the main rebel groups, one representing the old government, and one from the political opposition.

One woman told the BBC she did not know whether the swearing-in ceremony would really mark the end of the war.

They have to rebuild the country that is completely destroyed with war Kinshasa resident

"Most of the time we see politicians take decisions today, then tomorrow they change," she said.

"We still expect help from God."

A man standing beside her was also pessimistic. He did not think the rebels and Kabila's people would work together.

"All sides have weapons and soldiers," he said. "It will be hard to persuade them to give those up."

'Happy'

Another man said it was "ridiculous" to swear in four vice-presidents. No other nation had as many, he said.

But most people agreed the new government was a start.

"I am happy because the most important thing is peace," one man said. "If we have found peace, if the country is united then there's no problem, the government can go on."

Another said he really believed this was the end of the war. But he said the government had a lot of work to do.

"They have to rebuild the country that is completely destroyed with war," he said. "That is the only thing we want to see with the new government."

The BBC's Ishbel Matheson says that behind people's scepticism, there is a desperate hope that the transitional administration will work.

In two years' time, if all goes to plan, Congolese could be going to vote in their first democratic election.

But most people do not want to look that far ahead, our correspondent says.

There is continuing violence in the east of the country and no agreement yet on how the rebels and the government will merge their armed forces.

But for ordinary people it seems enough for now to say that these are changed times.