Democratic Republic of Congo President Felix Tshisekedi has officially announced his intention to run for re-election at an event held in Kinshasa on Sunday. The stadium was filled to capacity as Tshisekedi urged voters to grant him another term in office in order to build upon the progress made during his first term.
The upcoming general election and presidential polls, scheduled for Dec. 20, will see more than 43 million registered voters participating.
Tshisekedi, who took office in 2018 following a disputed election, is seeking to continue leading the world’s largest cobalt producer and a major copper producer after a challenging five years marked by various issues.
Addressing the crowd at Kinshasa Martyrs Stadium, Tshisekedi highlighted the achievements of his administration, including the implementation of free basic education and plans for universal healthcare. He urged the crowd to vote for him in order to build upon these accomplishments, acknowledging the constraints placed on his first two years in office by a power-sharing agreement with former president Joseph Kabila.
In the upcoming presidential race, Tshisekedi will be up against 25 other candidates, including Martin Fayulu, a former Exxon Mobil executive, Nobel Peace Prize-winning gynaecologist Denis Mukwege, millionaire businessman Moise Katumbi, and former prime minister Augustin Matata Ponyo.
Throughout his first term, Tshisekedi vowed to address corruption, rebuild the economy, tackle inequalities, and address the country’s security crisis, but many critics argue that he has not lived up to these promises. His tenure has been marred by economic difficulties, the COVID-19 pandemic, Ebola outbreaks, and ongoing insecurity, particularly in the east where the M23 rebel group has caused significant displacement.
Supporters of Tshisekedi, like 35-year-old Alidor Ilunga, believe that granting him another mandate will allow him to build upon the groundwork laid during his first term. Meanwhile, rival Fayulu also launched his campaign in Bandundu on Sunday, and other candidates, including Katumbi, are expected to follow suit on Monday.
It is reported by Ange Kasongo and written by Bate Felix, with editing by David Holmes.
