Jean Pierre Bemba released, Joseph Kabila under pressure

A decision by a War Crimes Tribunal has now added to the Democratic Republic of Congo’s explosive mix.  By acquitting ex-rebel and former vice president Jean-Pierre Bemba, the International Criminal Court (ICC) may have opened the way for one of DRC’s most controversial figures to weigh in on high-risk presidential elections, now just months away.

Bemba, 55, has been provisionally released after the ICC ruled he had had only limited control of his militia, blamed for atrocities in the Central African Republic (CAR) more than 15 years ago.

The ruling – on appeal – came some six weeks before a deadline for entering candidates for the December 23 elections.

President Joseph Kabila, who has ruled since 2001, should have stepped down at the end of 2016 at the end of his two-term constitutional limit.

He is now under excessive pressure and panic siting the next election is around the corner with very heavy opponents from all parties.

Rumors have it that the president and his circle of trustees are moving thing around creating safe passage and heaven for the king.

His personal Jet loaded with tons of the country’s minerals has been on standby for over 2 weeks under heavy security with close monitoring of his relatives.

It is believed that Joseph Kabila is using his relatives to smuggle out the countries minerals to unknown destination.