DR Congo’s Kabila will not stand in presidential election

World
Europe

Democratic Republic of Congo President Joseph Kabila will not stand in December’s presidential election, a spokesman said on Wednesday, announcing that former interior minister Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary would be the ruling coalition’s candidate.

The announcement by spokesman Lambert Mende at a news conference puts an end to years of speculation about whether Kabila would defy term limits to run for a third term.

Kabila was due to step down in 2016 at the end of his constitutional mandate but the election to replace him was repeatedly delayed.

That sparked protests and conflicts between protesters and military and police, leading to dozens of civilian deaths.

Kabila’s political allies had floated various legal arguments they said would justify his running again but he came under strong pressure from regional allies like Angola as well as the United States and EU to stand down.

Though not going to run for president, Kabila will remain as the head of his People’s Party for Reconstruction and Democracy.

Several opposition candidates, including former vice president Jean-Pierre Bemba and the president of Congo’s largest opposition party, Felix Tshisekedi, have also registered to run.

A nationwide opinion poll last month showed opposition candidates collecting a significant majority of the vote with potential candidates from the ruling coalition trailing far behind.

(Cover: Democratic Republic of Congo's President Joseph Kabila addresses a news conference at the State House in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, January 26, 2018. /VCG PHoto)

Source(s): Reuters