User:Lihaas/Francis Mvemba

Francis Mvemba (born 1983) is a Congolese businessman and political activist, who is running for the presidency during the 2018 Congolese presidential election.

Early and personal life
Francis Mvemba was born in Zaire but the family migrated to France. He grew up in Tarterêts, Corbeil-Essonnes, France. He started playing football but that career ended after a meniscus injury in 2005. He also worked at a transport and logistics company at the time.

Currently, he resides between Monaco and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (Congo DR).

Business career
In 2008, after leaving France for his country of origin, Congo DR, Mvemba sought a career in the diamond and gold extraction business. In 2010, he partnered with a Swiss business man and founded Eufrasia with an initial capital of €750,000 to sell rough diamonds and gold from Africa to jewelers in Europe to carve them. As a result of his business career, he has become a billionaire.

Political activism
Following successes in his business career, Mvemba sought to run in the Congolese presidential election. He decided to take this path because "the Future is Africa and I want to serve my people." His manifesto is based on the country's motto "Justice, Paix et Travail" (Justice, Peace and Work) and includes: firstly, reform of the judicial system because "justice is one of the foundations, one of the pillars of the state;" secondly, a focus on security; thirdly, creating employment via renovating infrastructure and to generate electrify for the entire country. As such he founded the Parti Emergence du Congo (PEC) with the intention of approaching the country's youth and diaspora "to show them...that they too can take responsibility and emerge." More broadly, he seeks to make the black market more transparent and make income generating opportunities for all Congolese. Other issues he seeks is fighting corruption, free education and an improvement of health care. His reform of the economy and management of mining revenue involves the diversification of the economy by enhancing the agriculture and tourism sectors, as well as the industrialization of the country. He also spoke out again child labor in mines.

In terms of foreign policy, he not only seeks to maintain cooperation with the country's traditional allies in Europe but also emerging ones such as the BRICS countries because of a multipolar change in international relations, as well as a stronger regionalism within the Congolese neighbourhood. He is a fan of the Russian model, which recovered from the collapse of the USSR and organised crime: "We will no longer allow the provinces and other areas of non-law to become the refuge of rebels, looters and smugglers." The Congolese diaspora is also an important issue to him as it would help bring foreign learned expertise back to the country of their parents' origin. As part of the international tour for the campaign, he commenced in Belgium due to relations having a special relationship as a result of the Belgian Congo and the high number of Congolese diaspora members there.

As a part of his campaign he says: "The voice of the people is the voice of God." In regards to questions about having a "free and fair election," he dismissing such concerns in saying electoral commission is responsible for ensuring it and that the election will be carried out. He considers himself an independent.

Philanthropy
In 2014, the Eufrasia Foundation was formed with €150,000 to get homeless women and children off the street. Mvemba also wrote a song for the foundation that became popular on radio but he did not market it so other "could not accuse me of trying to make money on charity."