Anniversary rally rekindles national curiosity
Two years after his election as president of the Union of Humanist Democrats – Yuki, Joseph Badiabio chose the esplanade of Lycée Pierre Savorgnan de Brazza, in the heart of Bacongo, to host a rally that mixed celebration with calculation. Standing in a slowly rolling vehicle and saluted by a brass band, the deputy for Makélékélé’s second constituency reminded several thousand sympathisers that this ground was once a cradle of civic awakening, a symbolism he said he felt compelled to honour on 20 December 2025.
A candidacy tied to electoral guarantees
Supporters had come with a single injunction: “Run in March 2026.” Badiabio answered with a conditional pledge. He would, he stressed, enter the presidential race only “if permissive conditions for a free, transparent and equitable election are met.” The lawyer-turned-politician added that the decision would be collective, reflecting consultations inside the Opposition Platform of Congo headed by Pascal Tsaty-Mabiala, of which U.d.h-Yuki is a constituent. By framing his eventual bid around procedural integrity rather than personal ambition, he sought to position himself as a custodian of rules rather than a mere contender.
Reading the nation’s pulse through criticism
In a speech that lasted nearly an hour, Badiabio unfolded what he called a diagnostic of daily grievances. He spoke of recurrent water and electricity shortages, an overstretched health system, an educational sector in distress, a backdrop of unpaid pensions and scholarships, wage arrears extending from one to almost seven years, spiralling living costs and youth unemployment. Echoing long-standing concerns in urban quarters, he further pointed to public-sector liabilities and what he termed a ‘culture of impunity’ surrounding mismanagement. Each assertion was greeted with applause, though the speaker insisted his intention was less to dramatise than to “listen to the heartbeat and lamentations of our people.”
The contours of a ‘Perfect Plan for Congo’
After the critical inventory, the party leader unveiled the broad strokes of a policy agenda he baptised the Perfect Plan for the Renaissance of Congo. Its pillars include the renewal of political personnel, a results-oriented administration, value-adding use of natural resources, technology transfer, restoration of purchasing power, an overhaul of schooling, digitalisation of public services and diversification of the economy. He also promised what he termed ‘good electoral governance’ and a consumption-led stimulus to small and medium-sized enterprises. Badiabio framed discipline and rigour as both moral imperatives and economic levers, asserting that “change of mindset remains the first infrastructure.”
Opposition attendance and next political steps
Several prominent opposition personalities—among them Chris Antoine Walembaud, Bonaventure Boudzika, Bonaventure Mizidy and Clotaire Mboussa-Ellah—listened from the front rows, underscoring an emerging curiosity about the U.d.h-Yuki leader’s evolving rhetoric. Badiabio noted with satisfaction that recent internal dissent had subsided, describing the party as now ‘whole’ and ready for collective decision-making. While no official reaction emerged from other parties present, analysts observe that his calibrated assertiveness could reshape alliances as the 2026 calendar advances. For now, his candidacy hangs on the fulfilment of the standards he has set, leaving supporters hopeful and observers watchful.