Opposition leaders in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have selected Martin Fayulu, a 62-year-old lawmaker and head of the Commitment for Citizenship and Development (ECIDE) party, as their joint candidate for the upcoming presidential election scheduled for December 23.
The decision came after several days of negotiations in Geneva, Switzerland. The talks brought together key opposition figures, including former Vice President Jean-Pierre Bemba and ex-Governor Moise Katumbi, both of whom have been barred from running in the long-delayed vote.
Fayulu is now set to challenge Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary, a former interior minister and close ally of outgoing President Joseph Kabila. Shadary is widely viewed as Kabila’s designated successor.
“I am confident that we will succeed in making our country democratic, free, and independent,” Fayulu said following his nomination.
His selection took many by surprise, as Felix Tshisekedi—the son of longtime opposition leader Etienne Tshisekedi—had been considered the frontrunner prior to the announcement.
A Decisive Election
The upcoming election is considered pivotal for the future of the DRC, a resource-rich nation that has never experienced a peaceful transfer of power since gaining independence from Belgium in 1960.
Kabila, 47, has been in office since 2001 after the assassination of his father, Laurent-Désiré Kabila. He was elected president in 2006 and re-elected in 2011 in a vote marred by allegations of widespread fraud.
Although his mandate officially expired in late 2016, Kabila remained in power after the election was postponed twice. His extended stay in office fueled political unrest, internal conflict, and public outrage, with protests leading to dozens of deaths.
After months of uncertainty, Kabila announced in August that he would not run again and instead endorsed Shadary, who was sanctioned by the European Union in 2017 for alleged human rights violations.
Concerns Over Election Integrity
Speaking to Al Jazeera earlier this year, Fayulu questioned Shadary’s chances of winning in a transparent vote. “I doubt that Mr. Ramazani can win if the poll is serious and credible,” he said.
He also voiced strong concerns over the planned use of electronic voting machines, which many opposition figures fear could enable electoral fraud.
“We will not allow the election to proceed if electronic voting machines are used,” Fayulu warned. “We will not let the Congolese people take part in a process that is open to manipulation.”
“As we fought for Kabila to step down, we will continue to fight for fair and credible elections,” he added.
