President Félix Tshisekedi recently held a press conference in New York, where he is staying as part of the UN assembly. During this event, he wished to provide clarification on rumors concerning an alleged deal with his predecessor, Joseph Kabila, following the 2023 elections.
In his speech, the Head of State categorically denied the existence of such an arrangement. According to him, contacts established with the Common Front for Congo (FCC) after the publication of the election results in 2018 were aimed only at forming a coalition government, and not at reaching an agreement on the results of the presidential election.
Félix Tshisekedi explained that he had been contacted by Raymond Tshibanda, then Minister of Foreign Affairs, then by Néhémie Mwilanya, then chief of staff to Joseph Kabila. These discussions with the two close collaborators of the former president focused solely on the establishment of the FCC-CACH coalition.
The President claimed to have clearly indicated to Raymond Tshibanda his refusal to become Prime Minister of the then FCC candidate, Emmanuel Shadary, because he was convinced of having won the presidential election. He also called on those who accuse his election of electoral hold-up to provide evidence and name those responsible.
The Head of State’s statements were seen by many analysts as an attempt to clarify an issue that fueled the media throughout his first term. This could help put an end to the speculation and controversy surrounding this alleged agreement.
It is important to emphasize that President Tshisekedi’s press conference in New York was not limited to this question. He also addressed other important subjects, such as the DRC’s commitment to climate change, democracy in Africa and the challenges of rebuilding Derna in Libya.
In conclusion, it is essential to take into account the declarations of President Félix Tshisekedi concerning the absence of any fraudulent agreement with Joseph Kabila. It is now necessary to analyze this information and see how it will influence the Congolese political scene as the next electoral deadlines approach.