DR Congo Election Campaigns Underway Amid Rising Tensions

Incumbent President Tshisekedi faces stiff competition from 26 candidates, with concerns over community conflicts and election transparency.

Incumbent President Felix Tshisekedi, who came to power in 2018 following a disputed election, is seeking re-election and has formed a new coalition called Sacred Union of the Nation.
Tshisekedi faces competition from 26 candidates, including high-profile candidates like Martin Fayulu, a former Exxon Mobil executive who disputed the 2018 election outcome, and Denis Mukwege, a surgical gynecologist who won the 2018 Nobel Peace Prize for his fight against sexual violence.
Moïse Katumbi, a millionaire businessman and former governor of the copper-rich Katanga region, is also a serious rival, supported by former Prime Minister Augustin Matata Ponyo, who withdrew from the race.
The election campaigns are taking place against a backdrop of community conflicts in several provinces, with concerns that the campaigns could be hampered by these conflicts.
The International Crisis Group has outlined several factors putting the upcoming election at risk, including rising political tensions, controversies in the preparations for the polls, and considerable logistical and political challenges for the Independent National Electoral Commission.