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DR Congo Elections
Gov’t Blocks Opposition Protest Over Disputed Election
The Congolese government Tuesday outlawed an opposition-led demonstration planned for Wednesday, citing concerns it would disrupt the ongoing electoral process and undermine the integrity of last week’s vote.
Five opposition presidential candidates, including Martin Fayulu and Nobel laureate Denis Mukwege, had announced their intention to protest alleged irregularities in the December 20th elections. They described the vote as a “sham” and demanded transparency in the counting process.
However, Interior Minister Peter Kazadi declared the protest illegal, stating that “Tomorrow’s demonstrations are intended to undermine the electoral process – the government of the republic cannot accept this.” He assured the public that the march would not be allowed.
The contested election saw nearly 44 million voters cast ballots across the vast country, choosing their president, national and regional lawmakers, and municipal council members. Logistical challenges extended the voting into Christmas Day in some remote areas, and the opposition denounced the process as “total chaos.”
Despite the outcry, preliminary results released by the electoral commission show incumbent President Felix Tshisekedi with a significant lead, garnering 80% of the ballots counted so far.
DR Congo Opposition Demands Rerun
The Democratic Republic of Congo’s election crisis deepened on Thursday as the main observer mission identified “numerous irregularities” that could impact the results, while opposition leaders rejected calls to challenge them through legal channels and demanded a re-run.
Provisional results from the December 20 general election show President Felix Tshisekedi with a substantial lead, but his opponents, including Moise Katumbi, have denounced widespread problems with the vote and called for its annulment. The dispute threatens to destabilize the country already grappling with violence in eastern regions and raises concerns about the integrity of the election process.
Adding fuel to the fire, the independent joint vote-monitoring mission of the Catholic and Protestant churches, representing a powerful force in the country, documented over 5,400 incidents at polling stations, with more than 60% disrupting voting. The mission, known as CENCO-ECC, questioned the legality of extending voting beyond December 20 and expressed concern that voting continued until December 27, raising concerns about potential manipulation.
Katumbi, one of Tshisekedi’s main challengers, has ruled out legal avenues to contest the results, citing lack of faith in state institutions. He and other opposition figures are demanding a re-run, but government spokesperson Patrick Muyaya insisted on waiting for the full results and contesting them in court if necessary. He dismissed the threat of further protests, highlighting the government’s commitment to maintaining public order.
Meanwhile, concerns lingered over the opaqueness of the vote count. The CENI election commission was yet to release complete results or disclose voter turnout, while opposition and observers point to irregularities in vote tabulation and publication.
A local civil society observer mission, Symocel, reported instances of CENI agents mishandling sensitive materials and conducting operations outside official centers, potentially distorting the results. The mission’s coordinator, Luc Lutala, highlighted problems both during the vote and the counting process.
The CENCO-ECC mission urged the CENI to publish only results based on verified tallies from local centers, adding further pressure on the commission to ensure transparency and address concerns about the election’s integrity.
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