In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the presidential race is intensifying as candidates make their final push before the election. One of the prominent figures in this contest is Moïse Katumbi, a business magnate and former provincial governor, who held his last campaign rally in Lubumbashi on December 18, 2023. Katumbi, 58 years old, is one of the 19 candidates vying for the presidency in the elections scheduled for December 20.
Katumbi’s campaign has been noted for its effectiveness, with analysts considering him as the strongest challenger to the incumbent President Felix Tshisekedi, who is seeking a second five-year term. The election process is a first-past-the-post vote, which analysts believe gives Tshisekedi an advantage against a divided opposition. However, Katumbi’s robust campaign activities have marked him as a formidable contender.
Congo president Felix Tshisekedi
The election is set to be a large-scale event, with 44 million registered voters expected to participate in concurrent presidential, parliamentary, provincial, and municipal polls. However, there are concerns about the capability of the electoral commission to organize the ballot on time, particularly considering the logistical challenges of such a vast and infrastructurally diverse country.
Complicating the campaign season, several presidential candidates withdrew from the race, leaving 18 in addition to President Tshisekedi. Other notable candidates include Martin Fayulu, 67, who claims he was the true winner of the 2018 election, and Denis Mukwege, a 68-year-old gynecologist and 2018 Nobel Peace Prize laureate. These candidates, along with Tshisekedi, have been active in their final campaign efforts across the country, with promises of more jobs, ending conflict in the east, and improving infrastructure.
Democratic Republic of Congo gynaecologist and activist Denis Mukwege, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2018 for his nearly two decade fight against sexual violence, is getting wrapped with national flag after he announced his candidacy for the December 2023 presidential election at Fatima Parish church in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo October 2, 2023. REUTERS/Justin Makangara
The electoral atmosphere in the DRC has been relatively calm, which is significant given the country’s history of turbulent transitions of power. However, concerns over election-related violence and hate speech on the campaign trail persist. The United Nations peacekeeping mission in the country has agreed to assist in transporting voting materials, a request made by the government last week. This collaboration aims to ensure a peaceful and fair electoral process.
