Congo-Brazzaville: Guy-Brice Parfait Kolelas dies from Covid on poll day
The leading opposition presidential candidate in Congo-Brazzaville has died hours after polls closed after becoming seriously ill with Covid-19.
Guy-Brice Parfait Kolelas died in a medical plane as he was being evacuated to France, his campaign director said.
Hours earlier the 61-year-old had appeared in a video shared on social media, where he removed his oxygen mask and told his supporters that he was “fighting death”. He urged them to vote in Sunday’s poll.
Mr Kolelas, who was diabetic, was one of six candidates running against President Sassou Nguesso, 77, who has been in power since 1979, except for a five-year period after losing elections in 1992.
Mr Kolelas had missed his final campaign event on Friday after saying a day earlier that he feared he had malaria, the Associated Press news agency reports.
He was admitted to a private hospital in the capital, Brazzaville, and it was later confirmed that he had Covid-19.
Speaking in French from his hospital bed, Mr Kolelas said: “My dear compatriots, I am in trouble. I am fighting death. However, I ask you to stand up and vote for change. I would not have fought for nothing.”
The electoral law doesn’t annul the election if one of the candidates dies.
Congo-Brazzavile has officially recorded more than 9,000 cases of Covid and 130 deaths.
bbc.com
