The tumultuous journey of validating the candidacy of Moïse Katumbi Chapwe has been brought to light, revealing the behind the scenes of a real political fight. In an exclusive interview with investigative journalist Yves Buya, the details of this political-judicial battle were revealed.
According to Buya, Katumbi’s candidacy was not accepted without difficulty. From the start, there were attempts to rule it out, notably with the Tshiani bill in the National Assembly. Despite strong pressure, this attempt was unsuccessful. Then, at the CENI level, heated deliberations took place to decide whether Katumbi’s candidacy should be included in the provisional list. Some CENI members, including Âgée Matembo, were reluctant to include it.
However, thanks to Katumbi’s determination and efforts to provide all the required documents, his application was finally validated by the CENI. Denis Kadima, co-founder of C-news and member of the CENI, took a position in favor of validation, saying that responsibility for certification rested with the Constitutional Court.
But the fight was not limited to the national level. Western chancelleries closely followed this issue, and the validation of Katumbi’s candidacy was seen as a first victory against the regime in place.
However, despite this victory, Buya emphasizes that Katumbi must continue to fight to achieve his ultimate goal: organizing a peaceful transition in January 2024 with the outgoing president.
This behind-the-scenes revelation about the validation of Katumbi’s candidacy highlights the obstacles and political pressures he faced. This also shows the political weight and importance of this candidacy in the Congolese political context.
In conclusion, the fight for the validation of the candidacy of Moïse Katumbi Chapwe was a fierce battle, marked by political pressure and underground negotiations. This victory represents an important step for Katumbi, but the road to the presidency is still long.