Martin Fayulu: Presidential candidate and spokesperson for democratic change in the DRC
In a surprising decision, Martin Fayulu, political leader and emblematic figure of the opposition in the Democratic Republic of Congo, has exercised the option of running in the 2023 presidential election. This announcement comes after a period of hesitation within of the Lamuka political platform, of which Fayulu is the main decision-maker.
Several sources close to Fayulu confirmed this decision, which will be followed by the submission of his file to the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) between October 7 and 8, 2023. While some questioned this about-face, the advisor in communications from Fayulu, Jean Marc Kabunda, explained that this decision aimed to obtain the departure of the current president, Félix Tshisekedi.
According to Kabunda, Tshisekedi’s refusal to carry out an audit of the electoral register was the main reason behind the decision to participate in the elections. Fayulu and his supporters believe that Tshisekedi is trying to cheat by using this unaudited file. They also consider that the CENI was not able to guarantee transparent elections to the Congolese, contrary to what is proposed in particular by the National Episcopal Conference of Congo (CENCO) with its system for observing elections and publishing office results. per office.
Fayulu’s decision to run alone in the elections also has repercussions on his collaborators and other members of Lamuka, who had seen their political ambitions disappear after being prevented from running in national, provincial and municipal legislative elections. Some of them express their disagreement with this decision, considering that Fayulu cannot obtain their blessing and that his electoral campaign risks being meaningless. They also criticize Fayulu for preventing their participation in previous elections in the name of transparency, without taking into account their political aspirations.
This decision by Martin Fayulu to run for the 2023 presidential election marks an important turning point in Congolese politics. As opposition leader, Fayulu embodies the hope of democratic change in the DRC. His participation in the elections will be a strong signal for the Congolese people and for the international community, which is closely monitoring the evolution of the democratic process in the country. It remains to be seen whether Fayulu will be able to mobilize enough support and convince voters to trust him to bring about the long-awaited changes in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Article reference: [Central Coordination Office (BCECO): monitoring and inspection mission reveals major progress for the local development program in the DRC](https://fatshimetrie.org/blog/2023/09/24/bureau-central-de-coordination-bceco-une-monitoring-and-inspection-mission-reveals-major-advances-for-the-development-program -local-in-rdc/)