Main opposition candidate says he’s ‘preventing dying’ after being recognized with COVID-19 on eve of presidential election.
The main opposition presidential candidate in Republic of Congo was receiving oxygen at a personal hospital after being recognized with COVID-19, a member of the family stated, casting Sunday’s election into doubt on the eve of the vote.
The election’s final result was already all however sure even earlier than affirmation of Man Brice Parfait Kolelas’s sickness.
President Denis Sassou N’Guesso has been in energy for greater than 36 years, final profitable 60 p.c of the vote in 2016. However the Central African nation’s structure stipulates that an election might be delayed if a candidate dies or is unable to take part within the vote.
Kolelas, the president’s main opponent, skipped his last marketing campaign occasion on Friday after telling some reporters a day earlier that he feared he had malaria. A relative who spoke to The Related Press on situation of anonymity as a result of sensitivity of the matter stated plans have been below manner for Kolelas to be evacuated overseas for additional therapy.
The 61-year-old is diabetic and at increased threat of problems from COVID-19. A video circulating on social media dated Friday confirmed Kolelas sporting an oxygen masks and with a blood strain cuff on his arm as he lay in a hospital mattress.
“My expensive compatriots, I’m in hassle. I’m preventing dying,” the candidate says in a weak-sounding voice after eradicating his oxygen masks. “Nevertheless, I ask you to face up and vote for change. I’d not have fought for nothing.”
A marketing campaign spokesman confirmed the authenticity of the video and Kolelas’ hospitalisation. Two folks on the hospital who had seen Kolelas’s check outcomes confirmed to the AP late on Saturday that he had examined constructive for the coronavirus.
There was no rapid response to the developments from the federal government late on Saturday.
Kolelas positioned second to Sassou N’Guesso within the nation’s 2016 presidential election with about 15 p.c of the vote. The opposition determine has been notably vital of the incumbent chief in latest days, declaring that Republic of Congo had develop into “a police state”.
Sassou N’Guesso is the third-longest serving president in Africa, governing from 1979-1992 after which once more since 1997 on this nation usually overshadowed by its huge neighbor, Democratic Republic of Congo.
Republic of Congo has had fewer than 10,000 confirmed instances of COVID-19 because the pandemic started, with 134 confirmed deaths.