Moïse Katumbi’s Ensemble Party: De-escalation and the Easing of Clan Dissensions

Inside the internal climate of Ensemble pour la République, led by opposition figure Moïse Katumbi Chapwe, following serious internal fallouts between the factions of Salomon Kalonda Idi and Olivier Kamitatu.

For some time, this flagship party of the Congolese opposition has been navigating turbulent waters. Two rival factions have been tearing the party apart from within: the camp led by Salomon Kalonda, a long-time confidant of Moïse Katumbi Chapwe. He served as his principal adviser during his tenure as governor of Greater Katanga and also acts as treasurer-general of TP Mazembe, the iconic football club presided over by Katumbi.

This faction is viewed by certain analysts as open to a rapprochement between Moïse Katumbi and DRC President Félix Tshisekedi.

The opposing camp is spearheaded by Olivier Kamitatu, a former speaker of the National Assembly and former minister of planning, who currently serves as Moïse Katumbi Chapwe’s chief of staff.

He represents the party’s hardline wing against Félix Tshisekedi. Several reports indicate he favours a rapprochement between Katumbi and former President Joseph Kabila to block Tshisekedi's push to amend the Constitution.

The two camps openly clashed through proxy spokespersons, culminating in heated WhatsApp exchanges between the leaders of the respective factions, Salomon Kalonda Idi and Olivier Kamitatu.

On 29 July 2026, at Katumbi’s behest, the two men met to bury the hatchet and signed a joint communiqué sealing their reconciliation.

Escalation of the Crisis and Internal Dissensions

On 20 August, the National Executive Directorate suspended Hervé Diakiese from his duties as spokesperson and from all party activities, referring him to the Committee of Wise Men for a formal hearing.

The leadership rebuked Diakiese over remarks deemed "inappropriate" and "disrespectful" toward the national president, as well as insulting to certain party officials actions considered incompatible with his role and likely to exacerbate indiscipline.

This episode further destabilized Ensemble pour la République, a co-founder of the C64 opposition coalition campaigning against Félix Tshisekedi’s constitutional overhaul. The party's internal crisis also overshadowed other opposition figures, such as Martin Fayulu and Jean-Marc Kabund.

Towards De-escalation?

On Saturday, 29 August 2026, a meeting took place in Europe believed to be in Greece between Moïse Katumbi and his chief of staff, facilitated by Stavros Papaioannou, former CEO of the airline Hewa Bora Airways and a close associate of the opposition leader.

Photographs from the encounter have restored morale within the ranks of Ensemble pour la République, offering a sign of easing tensions that bodes well for the party's revival.