Key Takeaways
- Fecofa has changed its rules so that any Congolese who has worked in football can stand.
- Swiss citizen Véron Mosengo-Omba, 66, entered the race after the change and now holds a diplomatic DRC passport.
- Critics say the move was tailor-made for the ex-Caf general secretary, who enjoys backing from President Félix Tshisekedi.
The football association of the Democratic Republic of Congo has pushed through a last-minute rule change that will let Véron Mosengo-Omba run for its presidency.
Mosengo-Omba, a former general secretary of the Confederation of African Football, was born in Congo but left at 18 and later took Swiss nationality. He currently travels on a diplomatic passport issued by Kinshasa.
Old Fecofa statutes required candidates to hold ordinary Congolese citizenship. An amendment approved this week scraps that clause, allowing anyone of Congolese origin who has served in football administration to seek office. An electoral panel is expected to ratify the tweak within days.
The vote, first set for 11 April, has been moved to next month, giving the 66-year-old time to complete paperwork. He filed his candidacy on Monday, becoming the ninth hopeful in a field that also includes former striker Shabani Nonda.
Opponents say the rewrite was engineered for Mosengo-Omba. Luc Mangala, a well-known player agent, argued: “He has never sought full citizenship. Now, overnight, he wants to lead our game.”
Caf president Patrice Motsepe added fuel to the row when he revealed that Mosengo-Omba had told him “President Tshisekedi asked me to help rebuild Congolese football.” Local media claim regional league bosses were urged by sports minister Didier Budimbu to support the Swiss-based candidate. Budimbu denies interfering.
Mosengo-Omba insists his motive is clean governance. “I fought corruption at Caf and I will do it here,” he told local reporters, adding that state support is vital for stadium projects. He admits Tshisekedi’s endorsement is “a big plus”.
Fecofa has been run by a Fifa normalisation committee since 2021 after its board was deemed “paralysed”. The Leopards’ recent qualification for the 2026 World Cup has only raised the stakes in the race to run the domestic game.
Mosengo-Omba says he wants to “turn Fecofa into a paradise”. First, he must survive an appeals period and win over 68 club and league delegates who will cast ballots next month.