Acting head of state Joseph Kabila is to succeed his assassinated father as president of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Communications minister Dominique Sakombi said Mr Kabila had been named interim head of government while his father was still alive, but now "assumes the permanent responsibilities as head of the government and the army." It is not clear when the swearing-in will take place.
Congolese authorities only confirmed President Laurent Kabila's death on Thursday, two days after he had been shot, despite reports that he died of his injuries soon after 30 minutes of gunfire at his residence in the capital, Kinshasa.
Mr Sakombi provided few details in a statement broadcast on state-run television, saying only that Kabila, 59, died at 10am on Thursday. "Congo is in mourning," he said. "He gave the best years of his life for the freedom of the Congolese people."
Kabila's son was made temporary head of government on Wednesday to fill the power vacuum that has threatened to increase the turmoil in this central African state.
UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan said he hoped the peace process in Congo "would not be derailed further; and that "the political and security situation in the country and the region would not be destabilised further."
The elevation of Joseph Kabila angered many Congolese, who believe he is half-Tutsi. Many in Kinshasa despise the Tutsis, who now dominate the government in neighboring Rwanda - Congo's main enemy.
"We are not a monarchy," said 24-year-old Madeleine Mapolo, a student. "Kabila is dead. It's not for his son to replace him. Elections must be organised by a government of national unity."
A 25-member delegation of Congolese officials, led by foreign minister Yerodia Ndombasi, arrived in Harare on Thursday night to pick up the body of Kabila, who died on his way to Zimbabwe for medical treatment after the shooting by one of his bodyguards.
President Robert Mugabe's government has pledged continued support for the Congo, but has yet to issue a promised statement on the crisis following Kabila's death. Zimbabwean officials could not say whether Mr Mugabe, one of Kabila's key allies in his civil war with rebels backed by forces from Uganda and Rwanda, would attend his funeral.
But they said the Zimbabwean leader was consulting Kabila's other allies, Namibian president Sam Nujoma and Angolan president Jose Eduardo dos Santos, on when to convene an urgent summit.
Mr Nujoma and Mr Dos Santos were due to meet in Luanda today.
Related stories
19.1.2001: Congo confirms that Kabila is dead
19.1.2001: Obituary
19.1.2001: A son with no shining qualities
19.1.2001: A country pays as foreigners fight for spoils of war
Useful links
Democratic Republic of Congo (Zaire) Page
CIA World Factbook: the Congo
Zaire News
Congalese Rally for Democracy-Liberation Movement
Index on Africa: Congo
Congo-Kinshasa - news plus
Congo Times