BRAZZAVILLE, Republic of Congo (AP) — A spokesman says Guy Brice Parfait Kolelas, the top opposition candidate in Republic of Congo’s presidential election who was hospitalized with COVID-19, has died. Kolelas, 61, was last seen in a video circulating Saturday on social media in which he told supporters he was “fighting death.” Aides later said he was been flown to France for further treatment. Spokesman Justin Nzoloufoua confirmed his death Monday to The Associated Press. Kolelas, who won 15% of the vote in the 2016 election, was expected to finish second to President Denis Sassou N’Guesso. Kolelas had skipped his final campaign event last week after telling some reporters a day earlier that he feared he had malaria.
