Congo bars opposition figure from presidential election

Bloomberg

The Democratic Republic of Congo disqualified one of the country’s most popular opposition politicians from running for president.
The decision removes a second key opponent from the race against President Joseph Kabila’s anointed successor and raises the risk of angry protests by opposition supporters. It casts doubt on the credibility of the December 23 election in the cobalt-rich nation, which hasn’t had a peaceful transfer of power since it gained independence from Belgium in 1960.
The National Independent Electoral Commission, known as CENI, barred Jean-Pierre Bemba because of his conviction by the International Criminal Court for witness-tampering.
Kabila’s ruling coalition said last month Congolese law precludes those found guilty of corruption from running for office.
“The move to exclude Bemba, while somewhat expected, will light the fire under the population in Bemba’s heartlands,” Verisk Maplecroft Africa analyst Indigo Ellis said. “Any election result now will almost certainly be considered illegitimate by large swathes of the population.”
Bemba can appeal to the Constitutional Court to
overturn the decision — his party says witness-tampering doesn’t constitute a crime of corruption. The commission will publish a final list of candidates on September 19.
“We will introduce the appeal to the Constitutional Court on Monday,” Michel Koyakpa, a spokesman for Bemba’s party, said by phone.