Moïse Katumbi Chapwe

All seemed well on 12 November when seven leaders gathered in Geneva including heavyweights Jean-Pierre Bemba and Moise Katumbi who have been barred from pursuing their own presidential aspirations and announced they had united behind Martin Fayulu a courageous political fighter who was nearly killed by the police two years ago (AC Vol 59 No 23 Militias flex their muscles)...

The leader of the United Nations Organisation Stabilisation Mission (Monusco) Leila Zerrougui has endorsed the government's efforts to hold credible elections despite multiple concerns about electronic voting machines and the exclusion on dubious legal grounds of major opposition candidates notably former Katanga province governor Moïse Katumbi and former Vice-President Jean-Pierre Bemba (AC Vol 59 No 20 Hanging on a click factor)...

This coupled with the absence of Moïse Katumbi from the country during the candidacy registration period has left the opposition weakened (AC Vol 59 No 5 Kabila's survival strategy Vol 59 No 16 Kabila names his dauphin & Vol 59 No 17 Kabila's two-front offensive)...

This impression is confirmed by the exclusion of two of the most important presidential challengers Jean-Pierre Bemba and Moïse Katumbi from the poll...

While Kabila has declared he will not now remain some in the church still say that the refusal to allow an important opposition figure Moïse Katumbi to enter the country and register as a candidate is still a provocation...

The other two main possible candidates Felix Tshisekedi son of the legendary Etienne and Moïse Katumbi were each on 19%...

Opposition sources tell Africa Confidential that Nyamwisi has also become much closer to the former Katanga Governor Moïse Katumbi whom Kabila sees as his chief threat...

The Rassemblement a large coalition dominated by the Union pour la démocratie et le progrès social (UDPS) Congo's oldest opposition party and the G-7 alliance which supports the presidential aspirations of the exiled former Governor of Katanga Moïse Katumbi published a statement on 7 November identical to those issued by the Union pour la nation congolaise (UNC) led by Vital Kamerhe and the Mouvement de libération du Congo (MLC) of Jean-Pierre Bemba...

The G-7's preferred candidate for the presidency Moïse Katumbi Chapwe has also bolstered his US public relations firepower adding RMG Africa Advisors to his team of five US consultancies on a $15 000 monthly retainer (AC Vol 58 No 9 Finding Africa on K Street & Vol 58 No 14 Casino Jack plays his hand)...

The G-7's preferred candidate for the presidency Moïse Katumbi Chapwe has also bolstered his US public relations firepower adding RMG Africa Advisors to his team of five US consultancies on a $15 000 monthly retainer (AC Vol 58 No 9 Finding Africa on K Street & Vol 58 No 14 Casino Jack plays his hand)...

Moïse Katumbi Chapwe who promised his 'imminent' return home to seek the presidency after the United Nations called on Kabila's government to guarantee his protection also has a K-Street outfit on retainer the giant legal and lobbying firm Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld (AC Vol 57 No 11 Katumbi enlists US against Kabila)...

Moïse Katumbi Chapwe who promised his 'imminent' return home to seek the presidency after the United Nations called on Kabila's government to guarantee his protection also has a K-Street outfit on retainer the giant legal and lobbying firm Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld (AC Vol 57 No 11 Katumbi enlists US against Kabila)...

Most of the coalition has lined up behind Etienne Tshisekedi's son Félix Tshisekedi and Pierre Lumbi Okongo President of the G-7 a group of seven political parties which left the MP in September 2015 and backs Moïse Katumbi Chapwe a one-time Kabila ally and former Governor of Katanga to become the next president...

Most of the coalition has lined up behind Etienne Tshisekedi's son Félix Tshisekedi and Pierre Lumbi Okongo President of the G-7 a group of seven political parties which left the MP in September 2015 and backs Moïse Katumbi Chapwe a one-time Kabila ally and former Governor of Katanga to become the next president...