The return of former vice president of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Jean-Pierre Bemba, is expected to encourage opposition leaders to form a strong coalition ahead of the much-anticipated December polls.
Bemba arrived in the capital Kinshasa on Wednesday to mount a presidential bid to succeed incumbent Joseph Kabila.
Bemba, who is popular in western Congo, is expected to forge a coalition with other opposition leaders like the business mogul Moise Katumbi to replace Kabila.
Senior researcher at the Institute for Security Studies Stephanie Wolters says: “He fought with Bemba in 2006 and those elections had to go on a run-off and won with a skin of his teeth. Bemba is a formidable rival to Kabila and popular in Kinshasa and Moise Katumbi is a thorn on Kabila side and his return will be a challenge.”
“We gonna see people on the streets of Kinshasa and Lumbabashi support for these two political rivals of the President and that will be something difficult for him to see,” adds Wolters.
Strong coalition
One of the presidential aspirants, business mogul Moise Katumbi, says he is ready to work with any opposition leader yearning to push for change in the strive torn mineral-rich great lakes state.
Katumbi, who ran Congo’s mining heartland of Katanga for eight years until September 2015, has vowed to use his experience to turn the economic fortunes of his strive torn country.
“Let’s come together and rebuild our country. I did it when I was a Governor. I brought engineers to work in the mines, I brought doctors from South Africa and Europe. We need everybody to come home and let the people of Congo choose their candidate.”
The DRC election was originally scheduled for late 2016, but has been twice delayed, leading to unrest and the displacement of hundreds of people.
Kabila has controversially stayed on as leader despite the end of his presidential mandate.
Opposition leaders have long accused Kabila, head of state since 2001, of delaying the vote in order to retain power and change the constitution.
There are concerns that he might renege on his pledge to vacate office by the end of the year. However his top envoy in Pretoria Ambassador Bene M’Poko has dismissed the claims as baseless.
“President Kabila has stated that he will respect the constitution. The opposition should be concentrating in campaigning and preparing for elections and we will see who is going to win.”
Besides Bemba, other opposition leaders like Moise Katumbi, Felix Tshisekedi, Martin Fayulu and Vital Kamerhe, have been nominated by their parties to run for president.
Both Bemba and Katumbi are expected to hold coalition talks ahead of the deadline of the filing of presidential candidature which is set for Wednesday next week.
