Finally. Ending years of speculation, DRC President Joseph Kabila has confirmed that he will not run in the presidential election scheduled for December 23, 2018.
Joseph Kabila
It would have been huge news and lots of turmoil if he did run, as the Congo constitution limits him to only two terms. He overstayed and delayed his resignation for a variety of reasons but has claimed that the constitution allowed him to stay on as a caretaker. He won the presidency in 2006 and 2011. We were in Congo for both those elections. He likely would not win in a fair election now.
Kabila’s party, the People’s Party for Reconstruction and Democracy (PPRD), will put forward Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary. Many see the 57-year-old former interior minister as a potential puppet of Mr Kabila.
Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary
The current favourite is now Jean-Pierre Bemba, a former vice-president and, before that, a rebel leader. Mr Bemba’s conviction for war crimes was overturned on June 8th after he had served ten years in prison in The Hague. He had previously been held responsible for an epidemic of murder, rape and pillage committed by fighters under his command. I have to admit that I don’t understand the basis for his apparent popularity.
Jean Pierre Bemba
Another candidate is Vital Kamerhe, leader of opposition party Union for the Congolese Nation and former national assembly president, who came third in the 2011 election.
Felix Tshisekedi, leader of the largest opposition party Union for Democracy and Social Progress, who is the son of late opposition activist Etienne Tshisekedi, also filed his candidacy.
Opposition candidate Moise Katumbi was, however, refused entry to the country last week, after spending two years in exile in Belgium. The former governor of the wealthy Katanga province and former Kabila ally was convicted in absentia for real-estate fraud in 2016. He has denied the charges, saying they were used to obstruct his political career.
Bens in Congo 
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