KINSHASA (Reuters) – Ahead of the Dec. 20 election, Democratic Republic of Congo President Felix Tshisekedi is up against over two dozen rivals. His competitors include familiar faces such as Martin Fayulu, who finished second in the disputed 2018 poll, and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Denis Mukwege.
Here are the key candidates in the running.
President Felix Tshisekedi
Aged 60, Tshisekedi, son of Congo’s late opposition leader Etienne Tshisekedi, rose to power in a disputed 2018 election through a power-sharing alliance with former president Joseph Kabila.
Despite the collapse of the alliance, he subsequently formed coalitions with other influential Congolese figures such as economy minister Vital Kamerhe and former vice president Jean-Pierre Bemba.
Tshisekedi pledged to eradicate corruption and authoritarian rule, rebuild the economy, address inequalities, and tackle conflict in the east. However, critics argue that he has not delivered on these promises.
Businessman Moise Katumbi
Katumbi, 58, amassed a fortune in mining, transport, and food processing before entering politics. He served as governor of the copper-rich Katanga region from 2007 to 2015. Initially an ally of Kabila, their relationship soured when Katumbi accused the former president of attempting to retain power beyond his mandate.
In 2016, Katumbi fled Congo after the government accused him of plotting against Kabila. He was subsequently convicted in absentia of real estate fraud and prevented from returning to the country in time to submit his candidacy for the 2018 presidential election.
His chances in the upcoming election have been bolstered by endorsements from three withdrawing candidates.
Old rival Martin Fayulu
Fayulu, 66, a former Exxon Mobil executive, finished second in the 2018 election which he insists he actually won. Prior to the 2018 election, Fayulu was selected as the joint opposition candidate in an agreement with Tshisekedi. However, Tshisekedi withdrew from the arrangement and forged a power-sharing deal with Kabila.
Fayulu dispatched representatives to a meeting in South Africa where leading opposition candidates deliberated on presenting a unified front. He later alleged that his representatives were ejected from the gathering.
First timer Denis Mukwege
Distinguished gynaecologist Mukwege, 68, garnered the Nobel Peace Prize for his nearly two decades of work combatting sexual violence, including treating numerous victims of wartime rape and abuse at the Panzi hospital, which he established in 1999.
Known as “the man who repairs women”, Mukwege is based in eastern Congo, where armed militias have long conducted assaults on civilians. He has vehemently criticized the government’s failure to control the conflict.
Upon announcing his candidacy on Oct. 3, he declared: “My only motivation is to save and develop our country.”
Second attempt for Marie José Ifoku
Ifoku is one of three women authorized by Congo’s national election commission to participate in the presidential race. This marks Ifoku’s second bid. In the 2018 presidential race, she was the sole female candidate and finished ninth out of 21 candidates with 0.15% of the vote.
(Reporting by Ange Kasongo; Editing by Bate Felix, William Maclean)
