A few days before his return, Bemba tweeted: “I look forward to meeting you again so that together we can strengthen unity of vision and action for a prosperous Congo.”

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) opposition figure and former vice-president Jean-Pierre Bemba on Sunday returned to the state after being convicted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) and serving ten years in prison.

Bemba was welcomed by Martin Fayulu in Kinshasa and a small crowd after he landed in a private jet from Brussels.

Bemba only stayed in DRC for a few days to stand as a candidate in the presidential election which was later invalidated by the electoral commission.

He then went back to Belgium where he led the Lamuka coalition with Fayulu’s application to the party.

A few days before his return, Bemba tweeted: “I look forward to meeting you again so that together we can strengthen unity of vision and action for a prosperous Congo.”

After losing the 2006 presidential elections against former President Joseph Kabila, Bemba spent ten years in prison for crimes committed by his soldiers in the Central African Republic.

As the leader of Lamuka coalition, it is believed that the party was preparing to protest against the invalidation of 20 deputies by the Constitutional Court on Independence Day which will be next Sunday.