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Ebola, militias and a continually scheming Kabila threaten the future of Africa’s jewel state
By Nsikan Ikpe
Ahead of long delayed but now scheduled presidential polls in the Democratic Republic of Congo, there is growing concern over the ability of the Central African nation to pull through its very many troubles.
With militias operating in various sections of the country and a central government that has long lost about all of its credibility in the eyes of its populace, the continent and the world, many see the forthcoming December 23 polls as a window of escape for the long beleaguered nation that was once run as part of the infamous private estate of King Leopold, and later by Belgian colonial authorities.
Central to the current crisis in the country is the festering Ebola crisis in which aid workers and responders have been severely hampered from operating freely to help stem the growing numbers of infection and deaths.
In the elections proper, outgoing President Joseph Kabila, after two years of holding everyone to ransom has finally elected to back one of his very trusted loyalists, Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary. To get Shadary into the national favourites’ corner, a lot of strong contenders were disqualified and frustrated out of the race. But there are still a few headache candidates, including Felix Tshisekedi who serves as president of Congo’s largest opposition party and Vital Kamerhe, a maverick contender who had been placed third in the last bout of polling that Kabila himself had taken part in and won in 2011.
Rich in mineral resources and having one of Africa’s highest populations, the Congo, has for almost a century and counting, been considered as being arguably ‘the single richest piece of real estate on earth.’.
Now it needs everyone’s prayers. And help
President Joseph Kabila of Congo
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