Congolese opposition leader Moise Katumbi on Monday returned home from exile. He spent three years in exile under former President Joseph Kabila.
But after the new administration of President Felix Tshisekedi cleared indicted politicians charged with various crimes under Kabila, Katumbi was now free to return home.
The business man and politician was prevented from contesting last year’s presidential election.
He was facing multiple charges of holding dual citizenship and also hiring mercenaries.
The former governor of Katanga, a copper-mining region had to flee Congo in May 2016 to avoid arrest and jail terms.
He was considered a threat to former president, Joseph Kabila and accused of hiring mercenaries to plot against the former President.
Mr. Katumbi denied the charges but was never allowed back to DR Congo last year to run for president.
Thousands of his supporters met him at the airport in Lubumbashi, to welcome him home.
“I’m happy to be back home, the truth always triumphs,” Katumbi said.
The latest decision to drop charges against Katumbi was as a result of the change in leadership in Congo.
New President Felix Tshisekedi has however promised to heal the country and unite it further.
Tshisekedi’s victory in the 2018 election had to be confirmed by the constitutional court after one of his rivals, Martin Fayulu legally challenged the election results.
Despite the constitutional court’s ruling that his victory was legitimate Tshisekedi has been facing the challenge of being accepted by all which is not unusual with electoral outcomes in parts of Africa.
Source: Africafeeds.com
