Politics
09:19, 25-Aug-2018
DR Congo rejects presidential bid of opposition leader Bemba
Updated
08:48, 28-Aug-2018
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The Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) of the Democratic Republic of Congo has excluded six presidential candidatures for the presidential elections scheduled for December, including the former Vice President Jean-Pierre Bemba and three former prime ministers.
According to a statement by the CENI, the decision was based on the latest conviction of the former vice president by the International Criminal Court for bribing witnesses during the rebellion in the Central African Republic between 2002-2003.
Congolese opponent Jean-Pierre Bemba (C), speaks to the press after applying to be a candidate for next presidential elections at the office of the Independent Electoral Commission, in Kinshasa, on August 2, 2018. /VCG Photo
Congolese opponent Jean-Pierre Bemba (C), speaks to the press after applying to be a candidate for next presidential elections at the office of the Independent Electoral Commission, in Kinshasa, on August 2, 2018. /VCG Photo
Candidates whose files are rejected have 48 hours to bring their cases to the Constitutional Court.
Among 25 files of the presented candidates, those of opposition leader Felix Tshisekedi and the candidate of the ruling coalition, Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary, have been declared admissible by the CENI.
Shadary has been chosen to replace President Joseph Kabila to participate in the elections.
Some members of the opposition accused Kabila of trying to manipulate the CENI to remove opposition candidates for the benefit of Shadary.