A former presidential candidate in the Democratic Republic of Congo was arrested Tuesday in Kinshasa, deepening political tensions ahead of uncertain national stability.
Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary is a senior figure in the People’s Party for Reconstruction and Democracy, led by former president Joseph Kabila.
Shadary also ran for president in the disputed 2018 election under the Common Front for Congo coalition.
His arrest occurred under troubling circumstances, according to party officials, who reported a nighttime search of FCC headquarters.
Aubin Minaku, a senior PPRD executive, said the operation raised serious concerns about legality and political intimidation.
Shadary previously served as interior minister during Kabila’s final years in power, overseeing security during a volatile transition period.
In the 2018 presidential race, Shadary placed third, losing to current President Félix Tshisekedi.
Minaku demanded Shadary’s immediate release, condemning what he described as actions that further fracture national cohesion.
A close associate was also detained, reinforcing claims of a broader campaign targeting Kabila’s political allies.
PPRD spokesman Nharly Amisi told AFP the arrests amount to pressure and intimidation against the former ruling circle.
Earlier this year, Kabila was sentenced to death in absentia for treason over alleged links to the M23 rebel group.
Kabila, who reportedly left Congo in 2023, denies the accusations and remains outside the country.
In October, he met opposition figures, including Shadary, in Nairobi, denouncing what they called dictatorship in Congo.
Meanwhile, M23 rebels seized key eastern cities after major offensives, further destabilising a nation already under strain.
