Congo Opposition Leader Blocked From Returning Home, Party Says
- Katumbi sought entry to register election candidacy, aide says
- Congo government denies allegation as ballot deadline nears
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Congolese opposition leader Moise Katumbi was twice refused permission to return home to register for the December presidential election, his campaign team said. The government rejected the allegations.
Katumbi, in self-imposed exile since May 2016, had planned to fly to Lubumbashi, his home town in southeast Democratic Republic of Congo, on Aug. 3 but his jet was denied permission to land, according to his chief-of-staff, Olivier Kamitatu. Instead, he flew to Ndola in northern Zambia and tried to cross the land border on Friday and Saturday, Kamitatu said.