Martin Fayulu: A surprising turnaround for the December presidential election
Political leader Martin Fayulu Madidi, known for his fierce opposition to the government in place, created a surprise by announcing his candidacy for the presidential election next December. This decision created total confusion within his political party, the Citizen Framework for Development (Ecidé).
A few months ago, Fayulu made the decision to boycott the elections, arguing that his demands concerning the audit of the electoral register had not been taken into account by the Independent National Electoral Commission (Ceni). He had even ordered his candidate deputies not to run.
However, the political leader seems to have backpedaled on his decision. Despite the anger of party officials who had respected the boycott slogan, Fayulu plans to submit his candidacy for the supreme office in the coming days. He can count on the support of the Catholic and Protestant Church, who support his approach.
This about-face by Martin Fayulu sparked tensions within the party, even going so far as to provoke a narrowly avoided fight at his hotel. Party officials are divided as to the legitimacy of this late candidacy.
Recall that Fayulu had previously vowed not to participate in the elections as long as the voting machine was used. However, a few days before the event, he changed his position, which led to a demobilization of his base and was one of the causes of his failure in previous elections.
The submission of his presidential candidacy will therefore be a crucial moment for Martin Fayulu. He will have to face doubts and criticism even within his party, but also convince voters of his legitimacy to run for the supreme office.
This unexpected decision by Martin Fayulu brings a new dynamic to the Congolese political scene and leaves suspense surrounding the next presidential elections. The coming months will be decisive to see if Fayulu will succeed in overcoming obstacles and mobilizing voters around his candidacy.