KATUMBI SAYS OPPOSITION WILL REJECT CONGO ELECTION; “IT’S FLAWED, IT’S A FRAUD”
The opposition in the Democratic Republic of Congo has announced it will reject the outcome of the December 23 election as it was flawed and tailored to produce a ruling party candidate.
Moise Katumbi, president of the biggest opposition coalition dubbed Ensemble and is barred from contesting, says the announcement of 21 candidates to contest the polls was a pre-determined scheme falling far from being a credible election.
The former Katanga governor has warned the Democratic Republic of Congo will slip into chaos if Kinshasa insists on an election that did not project democratic tenets.
Katumbi and another popular figure Jean Pierre Bemba are barred from contesting the election.
The Electoral Commission in Congo announced on Thursday 21 candidates had made the final list.
Katumbi has told journalists that outgoing President Joseph Kabila is scared of the challenge posed by Bemba and him.
“President Kabila has no mandate to decide who should stand or not because his term officially ended in 2016. He is an illegal president. The only thing that has kept him in power all this time is the St Sylvestre Agreement which was signed two years ago.
“And according to that agreement, we need to have
inclusive, free and fair election that are supposed to be monitored by international observers. The agreement also demands the release of all political prisoners.”
Katumbi insists that the opposition in DR Congo were working together to nominate a single candidate to field in the election.
“It’s a bogus they have made. That list shows they are afraid of the real opposition but if those elections will go ahead without the real opposition, there will be chaos.
“Kabila must respect the wishes of the people and who they want to elect instead of imposing candidates on them,” he said.
Felix Tshisekedi, the son to late opposition leader Ettiene, has been cleared to stand on the UDPS ticket. UDPS remains the longest opposition but was occasionally been linked to Kabila.
Another candidate on the ballot Vital Kamerhe. He has a distant chance but officials say he occasionally flirts with the ruling party.
Another of President Kabila’s alleged allies in the running as opposition leaders are Samy Badibanga and Tryphon Kin-Kiey.
Katumbi says President Kabila’s actions will plunge the Democratic Republic of Congo into chaos.
Last week, some members of the opposition including Bemba and Mr Katumbi met in Brussels to explore the possibility of fielding a common candidate.
On Tuesday, Katumbi with six other opposition leaders held talks with the African National Congress (ANC) top brass in Johannesburg urging one of Africa’s strongest political parties to mount pressure on SADC to help stage a credible election in DR Congo.
President Kabila is backing ruling party nominee Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary in the long-delayed, Dec. 23 poll.