Former NFL player joins Congo’s 2028 presidential race amid minerals, security concerns

Patrice Majondo Mwamba, a former NFL player and 2023 presidential candidate, has entered the Democratic Republic of Congo’s 2028 race. He says political instability in Congo could weaken U.S. efforts to secure critical minerals and give China an edge. Why it matters: - Congo sits at the center of U.S. efforts to secure critical minerals tied to national security, technology, energy and defense. - Majondo Mwamba argues that political instability in Congo could undercut that strategy and strengthen China’s leverage over strategic supply chains. - The 2028 election may shape whether Congo can offer the stability the U.S. says it needs for a durable partnership. What happened: - Patrice Majondo Mwamba, a former National Football League player and Texas Tech University alumnus, declared his candidacy for president of the Democratic Republic of Congo in the 2028 election. - Mwamba previously ran for president in Congo’s 2023 election. - He is also Africa president of the Africa USA Business Council and founder of Our Congo Our Pride. - The announcement came from Dallas on June 17, 2026. The details: - Mwamba said he is entering the race as both a political candidate and a concerned Congolese citizen. - He said Congo is facing renewed Ebola pressure, fighting in the east, deep national division, stalled political dialogue, rising political violence, concern over possible constitutional change and uncertainty around the 2028 election. - Mwamba said China still holds significant leverage over minerals the United States considers important to its national security. - In a statement, Mwamba said Congo is more divided, less secure and facing weakening confidence in its constitutional future. - He said President Trump recognized the value of peace in Congo, secure access to critical minerals and reduced Chinese control over supply chains. - Mwamba said the proposal he helped initiate connected U.S. access to Congo’s critical resources with peace, security cooperation, infrastructure, transparent investment, regional stability and reduced dependence on China. - He said that effort helped lay the groundwork for the Washington agreements and the United States and DRC Strategic Partnership Agreement. - Mwamba is calling on President Trump and the U.S. government to stay fully engaged in Congo. - He warned that efforts to alter the constitution, a possible third presidential term, political violence and uncertainty over election timing could create instability. - More information: Our Congo Our Pride is a political and civic movement focused on constitutional democracy, national unity, security and responsible development in Congo. Between the lines: - Mwamba is tying a domestic political campaign to a broader U.S.-China competition over critical minerals. - His message frames constitutional stability as a prerequisite for foreign investment and security cooperation. - The argument also signals that Congo’s internal political disputes could affect a wider strategic relationship, not just a national election. What’s next: - Mwamba is positioning himself as a pro-U.S. candidate ahead of the 2028 vote. - The biggest near-term risks he highlights are constitutional conflict, political violence and election uncertainty. - If those tensions deepen, the minerals and security framework he supports could face delays or weakened implementation. The bottom line: - Mwamba is making Congo’s 2028 election about more than domestic power. He is arguing that the country’s political stability will shape U.S. access to critical minerals and China’s reach in Africa.