From Eye on Africa

Jean-Pierre Chalupa is running for office as a deputy for Lukunga district in the middle of Kinshasa.

What sets him apart is his race.

He’s the only white guy running for public office in the elections (dunno if he won), and he’s native to the DRC.

He was born to a Greek mother and Portuguese father in Uvira, Sud-Kivu Province. He grew up in Kinshasa, studied in Brussels, came back only fairly recently to start an advertising firm called “Pixel-Light”, and received Congolese citizenship in 1999. His wife is black, and yet, no one has gotten into a tizzy over his color.

That’s perplexing, since president Kabila has caught tons of flack in Kinshasa and surrounding regions over his “Congolity”, as he was raised in Tanzania and speaks fluent English and KiSwahili rather than the French and Lingala which are prominent in the east. He didn’t win a majority in the election, and a run-off is scheduled in October.

Maybe its a regional thing rather than a racial or religious one.

Anyway, more power to Chalupa. I cheer for anyone of any minority status who runs for office with the support of his constituents.