The former Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Augustin Matata Ponyo, has withdrawn from next month’s presidential election.
He said he would now be backing Moïse Katumbi, a millionaire businessman and former governor of the Katanga region.
Representatives of DR Congo’s main opposition parties held talks earlier this week on how to ensure the election would be fair, and to investigate the possibility of a joint candidate to challenge President Felix Tshisekedi.
Mr Ponyo says he believes other opposition candidates will follow in his footsteps to withdraw in support of Mr Katumbi with the run-up to the 20 December vote getting tense.
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