October 15, 2023: Strong reactions to the self-proclaimed sole candidacy of Martin Fayulu
The political scene in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has been in turmoil since the self-proclamation of Martin Fayulu as the sole opposition candidate for the next presidential election, scheduled for December 20. This announcement sparked strong reactions from other candidates and different political groups.
Matata Ponyo LGD Secretary General Franklin Tshiamala stressed that all candidates were on an equal footing and therefore it was unacceptable for Martin Fayulu to claim to be the only legitimate candidate. He also recalled that the opposition’s approach should be to rally around a single candidate, as was envisaged in previous elections. According to him, returning to the realities of 2018 or perpetuating the failure of the Geneva adventure will only weaken the opposition.
For its part, the Ensemble pour la République movement of Moïse Katumbi criticized the audacity of Martin Fayulu. According to deputy spokesperson Francis Kalombo, Fayulu should have asked the opinions of the other candidates before proclaiming himself the sole candidate. He insisted that the stage of candidate selection was over and that it was now necessary to focus on strategies to win the elections.
Martin Fayulu, for his part, defended his candidacy by highlighting his experience, his competence and his in-depth knowledge of the political, security, economic and social issues of the DRC. He claimed to be the only candidate capable of facing the country’s challenges, with the exception of candidate Denis Mukwege, whom he considers to be his only serious rival.
This self-proclamation by Martin Fayulu therefore created great tension within the Congolese opposition. As the date of the presidential election fast approaches, it remains to be seen how the different political actors will manage to unite to present a solid and coherent alternative to the power in place. The next step will be to determine who will be the real opposition candidate and put in place a common strategy to win the elections long awaited by the Congolese people.