Congo presidential election candidate and one of the leading contenders, Moise Katumbi, has suspended a portion of his campaign following violent clashes at a rally.
Katumbi announced on Wednesday ahead of the December 20 elections after Tuesday’s campaign when live bullets were fired and multiple persons were hurt.
The presidential candidate of the Central African country was speaking to supporters in the seaside town of Moanda when the incident occurred.
While accounts of the occurrence differ, the province government reported that Katumbi’s security opened fire when the gathering became unruly, causing friction and pushing.
The police later deployed tear gas to reestablish order.
According to the statement, there were multiple injuries, including a badly injured police officer.
Investigations regarding the incident are still ongoing.
Katumbi said in a post made on X (formerly known as Twitter) that the police had fired live bullets at individuals and that the event had been planned to incite violence.
“In order to avoid further provocation, I have decided to temporarily suspend my meeting with citizens in (the cities of) Kananga and Tshikapa,” he said, referring to Wednesday’s events.
Katumbi added “I refrain from exposing our populations to the madness of the enemies of freedom. Nothing and no one can ever justify that a single drop of Congolese blood be shed during this electoral campaign to retain power.”
The region of Kasai-Central, home to Kananga and Tshikapa, is an election stronghold for the followers of President Felix Tshisekedi.
Nearly 44 million people are registered to vote in an election that will decide whether Tshisekedi stays in office after a first term marked by instability and economic suffering.
Katumbi is one of more than two dozen contenders in the presidential polls, which also includes Nobel Peace Prize-winning gynecologist Denis Mukwege and leading opposition candidate Martin Fayulu.