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President Joseph Kabila’s chosen successor on Monday unveiled his platform ahead of a landmark election in the Democratic Republic of Congo next month.

Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary set out an $86bn five-year development plan for the sprawling central African country.

Making his first public remarks since longstanding leader Kabila anointed him in early August, Shadary told supporters that he would reinforce the authority of the state, diversify the economy, create jobs, combat poverty and guarantee access to public services.

Shadary made the pledges three days ahead of the official start of campaigning for the December 23 poll to succeed Kabila, who has been in power since January 2001.

The election is critical for the future of the DRC, a mineral-rich country that has never known a peaceful transition of power since independence from Belgium in 1960.

Kabila’s second and final elected term in office ended nearly two years ago, but he stayed in office thanks to a caretaker clause in the constitution.

Months of speculation over Kabila’s intentions, marked by protests that were repressed at a cost of dozens of lives, ended in August when he threw his weight behind Shadary, a hardline former interior minister and loyalist.

Seven opposition leaders have picked little-known MP Martin Fayulu as their joint candidate in the vote.

Meanwhile, Kinshasa police said on Monday that trouble-making infiltrators had triggered fresh tension at the city university, three days before the kickoff of campaigning for next month’s presidential election.

“Infiltrations of thugs from Mbanza-Lemba are behind the troubles at the University of Kinshasa,” police chief Sylvano Kasongo said in reference to a poor neighbourhood located near the school. “Police have restored law and order,” he added.

Detained students have now been released, but “the thugs remain in detention and will be brought to justice,” Kasongo said.

A biology student said that police fired live ammunition into the air and tear gas in areas where the students lived. “We threw stones to defend ourselves,” the student said.

Another science student who said he had fled back to his room claimed that “police officers are all over campus. They arrest passersby, and rob them of their telephones, money and bags.”

One Western embassy warned compatriots by text message to avoid the area “at least for the day” because “stone-throwing was taking place”.

Campaigning for the country’s December 23 election is to kick off today. Last week, a police officer shot dead two students during campus protests, and Kasongo has pledged that he would be “tried and sentenced”. — AFP