The tumultuous political career of John Tibasima Bahemuka never ceases to amaze. An unsuccessful former deputy candidate, he recently announced his candidacy for the national deputy and even for the presidency of the Democratic Republic of Congo. What makes this candidacy even more surprising is the fact that Bahemuka is currently detained in the central prison of Bunia, accused of wanting to unify the local armed groups of Ituri into a single militia.
Despite his prison situation, Bahemuka is determined to serve his country and says the DRC needs him. He even managed to get his voter card from his cell. Although the electoral law provides that only those convicted of war crimes, genocide and against humanity are permanently ineligible, his family is still waiting to hear whether Bahemuka will be found guilty or acquitted.
Beyond this singular situation, Bahemuka is presented as the “engine brain” of the rebel movement in gestation called “National Union for Integral Change”. He asserts that the DRC must move from a decentralized system to a federal system to solve its governance problems.
Despite the controversies surrounding his candidacy and his current situation, Bahemuka continues to be talked about. His determination to participate actively in the political life of the country shows that often nothing can stop an individual driven by a real desire to change things.
It remains to be seen what the outcome of his trial will be and how his candidacy for national parliament and the presidency will be perceived by the Congolese people. John Tibasima Bahemuka’s political future promises to be interesting to watch as he defies convention and charts his course despite the odds in front of him.
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