Congo's Jean-Pierre Bemba Nominated as Presidential Candidate
- Politician was acquitted of war crimes in The Hague last month
- Bemba was defeated by Joseph Kabila in the 2006 election
Supporters of Jean-Pierre Bemba in front of his picture in Kinshasa.
Photographer: John Wessels/AFP via Getty Images
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Former Democratic Republic of Congo Vice President Jean-Pierre Bemba has been nominated his party’s candidate for upcoming presidential elections, five weeks after his conviction for war crimes was overturned at the International Criminal Court.
The Movement for the Liberation of Congo, known as the MLC, named Bemba, who was the country’s vice president from 2003 to 2006, on Friday at the end of a two-day congress, according to a statement issued by the party. Presidential and legislative elections are due to take place on Dec. 23.