🇬🇧 Two opposition Congolese parties have formed a coalition ahead of presidential elections
In an effort to dislodge president Denis Sassou Nguesso, the Rassemblement pour la DĂ©mocratie et le DĂ©veloppement (RDD) [Rally for Democracy and Development] and Union des DĂ©mocrates Humaniste Yuki (UDH-YUKI) [Union of Humanist Democrats Yuki] validated this weekend the new alliance.
This union is a result of a meeting held on February 26 in which the National Executive Bureau of RDD authenticated a draft alliance for the 2021 presidential election with UDH-YUKI to support presidential aspirant Guy Brice Parfait KolĂ©las.Â
According to the RDD, which will not present a candidate for this election, it is « irresponsible » not to support a candidate of its political platform, and specifies that « based on contacts established with certain candidates » Kolélas fits well with their agenda.
Kolélas a veteran politician, is contesting in the presidential elections for the second time. The 61 year old has formulated a plan to turnaround the country based on decentralization, a concept that envisions a subdivision of Congo into four autonomous provinces. He intends to do this once elected.
Meanwhile, this is not the first time that the RDD is forming a coalition. In 2007, the party formed the Alliance for the New Republic with the Union panafricaine pour la démocratie sociale [Pan-African Union for Social Democracy] and the Union pour la Démocratie et la République-Mwinda [Union for Democracy and the Republic]. The alliance was formed ahead of local and parliamentary elections which they later boycotted.
In 2009, the RDD went on to form another alliance with the Parti Congolais du Travail, PCT (Congolese Labour Party) prior to the presidential elections to support incumbent leader Nguesso. The RDD went on to suspend its participation in the broad coalition of parties supporting Sassou Nguesso, in 2014.
The RDD party was founded in 1990 by the late Jacques Joaquim Yhombi Opango who led Congo from 1977 until he was toppled in 1979. The party is now being run by Yhombi Opango.
