The ruling political coalition, the Sacred Union, has officially nominated Democratic Republic of Congo’s President Felix Tshisekedi as a candidate for the upcoming presidential election on December 20. Tshisekedi is seeking a second term in the country, which is the world’s largest cobalt supplier and the third-largest copper producer. He first won the presidency in a controversial 2018 vote.
During his tenure, Tshisekedi has faced numerous challenges including economic hardships, the COVID-19 pandemic, Ebola outbreaks, and persistent insecurity, particularly in the eastern part of the country where the M23 rebel group has regained strength and seized control of large areas, leading to strained relations with Rwanda.
The Sacred Union coalition, which includes prominent political figures such as Defence Minister Jean Pierre Bemba and Economy Minister Vital Kamerhe, unanimously selected Tshisekedi as their candidate during a congress held on Sunday. An enthusiastic crowd in a Kinshasa marquee at the People’s Palace cheered as Andre Mbata, a spokesperson for Tshisekedi’s party, announced the nomination.
Tshisekedi, who is the son of the late opposition leader Etienne Tshisekedi, has pledged to eradicate corruption and authoritarianism. He has rejected allegations from rights groups and critics that he has failed to deliver on his promises.
Martin Fayulu, one of Tshisekedi’s main rivals and the opposition leader who lost to him in the 2018 election, has confirmed his participation in the upcoming election. Previously, Fayulu had threatened to boycott the election in protest against alleged voter registration fraud.
Ange Kasongo reported this news. Bate Felix wrote the article, which was edited by Andrew Cawthorne.
Credit: The Star : News Feed
