Nobel Peace Prize-winning gynaecologist Denis Mukwege announced his candidacy for the upcoming presidential elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Mukwege, known as the “man who repairs women”, won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2018 for his tireless efforts in combating sexual violence over the past two decades. The announcement was met with enthusiastic support from his followers at a conference center in Kinshasa, the nation’s capital.
The 68-year-old doctor founded the Panzi Hospital in 1999 in eastern Congo, an area plagued by conflict, where he has treated countless victims of wartime sexual assault. Mukwege will be running against the incumbent President Felix Tshisekedi, who has faced numerous challenges during his first term, including economic hardship, epidemics, and escalating insecurity in the eastern region. The M23 rebel group initiated a significant offensive there last year.
Last weekend, Martin Fayulu, an opposition leader who finished second to Tshisekedi in the 2018 election, also announced his intention to run for president.
Reporting on the announcement was provided by Ange Kasongo, Sonia Rolley, and Crispin Kyala. The article was written by Sonia Rolley and edited by Sofia Christensen and Andrew Heavens.
Credit: The Star : News Feed
