The exiled opposition leader in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)‚ Moise Katumbi‚ has begged President Cyril Ramaphosa‚ who is also the chairperson of SADC‚ to intervene in the ongoing political crisis in his country so it can have free and fair elections.

In an exclusive interview with Times Select‚ Katumbi‚ who is in self-imposed exile in Belgium since May 2016 after falling out with President Joseph Kabila‚ has asked Ramaphosa “to save the people of Congo from the dungeons of hell”.

“Kabila doesn’t want me to return home so I can fill in my nomination form to be an official presidential candidate. The situation in my country is escalating‚ opposition leaders and supporters are jailed on trumped-up charges‚ and I believe president Ramaphosa can be our saviour‚” he said.

Katumbi said he was coming to SA in a few weeks’ time “to plead with President Ramaphosa to come to the rescue of the people of Congo. I would beg him to save the people of Congo from the dungeons of hell”.

Ramaphosa’s spokesperson‚ Khuselo Diko‚ said on Friday she was “not able to speculate about a meeting that has not been requested”.

- For more on this story‚ please visit Times Select.