Opposition leader Etienne Tshisekedi has formally entered the November presidential election for the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Head of the Union for Democracy and Social Progress, Tshisekedi was accompanied by at least 1,000 supporters Monday when he filed his papers at the election office in the capital, Kinshasa.

Tshisekedi, who is 78 years old, will face current President Joseph Kabila. Mr. Kabila has been in power since 2001 when he took office after the death of his father, Laurent Kabila. He was later elected to office in 2006.

The opposition parties have been unable to agree on a joint candidate. Mr. Kabila's main rival from 2006, John-Pierre Bemba, has already declared his candidacy. Bemba is on trial for alleged war crimes at the International Criminal Court in The Hague.

Tshisekedi boycotted the 2006 elections.