The Democratic Republic of Congo’s electoral commission officially ratified on Friday a preliminary list of 24 candidates who have enrolled for the presidential elections scheduled for December 20.
The candidates are still awaiting approval from the Constitutional Court, and the definitive list is anticipated to be released on November 18.
President Felix Tshisekedi, who assumed office in 2018, submitted his bid for a second five-year term in early October.
With a fragmented opposition, the 60-year-old is “in good position,” noted Congolese political scientist Christian Moleka.
“He’s the incumbent, he has the resources of the state, people still believe in him and he’s managed to build strategic alliances,” he added.
To have a shot at defeating Tshisekedi, the fragmented political opposition must come together and rally behind a single candidate, as per Moleka’s assessment.
Tshisekedi’s primary challengers encompass Nobel laureate Dr. Denis Mukwege, affluent businessman and former Katanga governor Moise Katumbi, and Martin Fayulu, an unsuccessful candidate in the 2018 elections.
Among the 24 candidates, only one is a woman: Marie-Josee Ifoku Mputa, who previously contested in the 2018 elections.
The political atmosphere in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has been fraught with tension for several months, as opposition parties allege that the upcoming elections will be manipulated.
The presidential election will be held in conjunction with legislative, provincial, and communal elections, with thousands of candidates having enrolled for these contests.
