Congolese political leader and, not long ago a prisoner at the Internation Criminal Court, where he was accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity, Senator Jean-Pierre Bemba, has been nominated as the Presidential candidate of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). His political party, the Mouvement de the Liberation du Congo (MLC), nominated him on Friday, July 13, 2018 in Kinshasa, during its Third Congress.
Congolese political leader and, not long ago a prisoner at the Internation Criminal Court, where he was accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity, Senator Jean-Pierre Bemba, has been nominated as the Presidential candidate of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). His political party, the Mouvement de the Liberation du Congo (MLC), nominated him on Friday, July 13, 2018 in Kinshasa, during its Third Congress.
The party members also decided to renew his term as the president of the party for 5 years. MLC congress, which opened on Thursday, July 12, 2018, was held without Jean-Pierre Bemba. He has been staying in his properties in Brussels, Belgium, with his family, after being acquitted by the International Criminal Court.
"In accordance with the prerogatives recognized by our statutes, we have unanimously decided to renew Senator Jean-Pierre Bemba as National President of the MLC for a five-year term and to invest him as our candidate in the presidential election to be held on December 23, 2018 ", MLC spokesperson, Jean Jacques Mamba, told the press following the Congress.
The campaign appears to have already started, with two candidates already in line: Moise Katumbi, the former governor of Katanga and who also appears to backed by the Rwandan dictator, Paul Kagame also the current head of the African Union (see here) and the Congolese general John Numbi and now, Jean-Pierre Bemba.
In launching the campaign, the secretary general of MLC, Ms. Eve Bazaiba, said that:
"Our country, the DRC, has lost all credibility, both diplomatically and on the business front. The DRC lacks a competent leadership and has no vision or direction, to the point of loosing the control its natural resources."
Speaking to the MLC Congress from Brussels, Jean-Pierre Bemba said: "I thank you for your renewed confidence in me as the national party president for five years and as a candidate for the President of the Republic. Thank you to all conference participants from inside and outside the country. I'll be back soon."
He was given a DRC diplomatic passport to allow him to travel back to Kinshasa, DRC. Leaders of MLC contacted by AfroAmerica Network confirmed that he is expected to be there in a few days.
