Congo-Brazzaville opposition figure launches new political party

The runner up of last year’s presidential election in the Republic of Congo, Guy-Brice Parfait Kolélas, has launched a new political party.

Kolelas who received more than 15 percent of votes cast in the March 2016 presidential election said the new party will be called the “Union of Humanist Democrats” (UDH-Yuki).

The Congo opposition figure ran as an independent candidate in last year’s polls which saw the incumbent, President Denis Sassou Nguesso extend his term in office.

“Today we have witnessed the birth of the Union of Yuki Humanist Democrats. The UDH-Yuki was born largely from the ashes of the political party founded by Bernard Kolélas and his companions,” said the opposition leader at the official launch of the party on Sunday.

“We will have many challenges in the short and medium term to contribute to the return and consolidation of peace in our country,” Kolelas added and pledged to work for the return of “real peace in the Congo”.

By creating his own political party, Guy-Brice Parfait Kolélas has
definitely cut the bridge with the Congolese Movement for Democracy that was created by his late father Bernard Kolelas, where he faced a war of succession with the other members of the party.