Billionaire owner of DR Congo’s top club, TP Mazembe, Moïse Katumbi, has announced his intention to run for the country’s presidency in the December 20 presidential election.
Katumbi, who is one of the most powerful men in the DRC and a multi-billionaire mining magnate, has promised to overhaul the country’s security apparatus and steer the troubled eastern DR Congo towards peace.
Local media reports that Katumbi has not hidden his ambition of running for president as he had previously attempted to gun for the position in the past but was blocked by numerous obstacles, including a jail sentence, death threats and exile.
But now, the popular football boss believes he is ready and hopes 2023 will be the year he finally lands the top job.
While making the announcement, Katumbi said his prior success in boosting infrastructure and education while governor of the country’s richest province, Kantanga, was the pilot programme for Congo.
The 58-year-old who is the leader of the “Together for the Republic” party is considered a front-runner – and so far, four other opposition candidates have pulled out to throw their support behind him.
But Katumbi’s critics have questioned his record on transparency and have accused him of using politics to advance his personal business interests.
A close ally of former President Joseph Kabila, Katumbi once accused the Congolese government of trying to poison him.
“Their plan was to kill me because they are scared about my popularity,” he had said.
On the business front, Katumbi is the owner of subcontracting Mining Company of Katanga (MCK), which he founded in 1997, and which then merged with Canadian firm, Anvil, to become AMCK Mining in 2004.