The man challenger to Congo’s incumbent President Denis Sassou Nguesso in last Sunday’s presidential election died of Covid-19 in Paris on polling day.
Exhausted, on his hospital bed, Guy Brice Parfait Kolelas addressed the Congolese people in a video dated March 19: “My dear compatriots, I am fighting against death. However, I ask you to stand up. Go vote for change. I wouldn’t have fought for nothing.”
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Ranked second in the 2016 presidential election, Mr. Kolelas, 60, was on life support.
His health situation had deteriorated last week, prompting his election campaign to end prematurely.
His evacuation to Paris, France was planned for Sunday, according to his entourage.
Despite receiving 100,000 doses of the Chinese Sinopharm vaccine, Congo is yet to begin its vaccination campaign against Covid-19.
To date, the country has recorded 9,564 cases of Covid-19, which include 7,514 recoveries and 134 deaths.
CD/id/fss/as/APA