The elections board in the Democratic Republic of Congo, DRC, early Thursday declared a president-elect in what will become the first peaceful transition of power in the troubled country.
Felix Tshisekedi, 56, was named winner of hotly contested elections of December 30, 2018. Son of a deceased opposition veteran will take over from outgoing Joseph Kabila.
The provisional results by CENI showed that Tshisekedi got over seven million votes representing over 38% of valid votes cast. He beat another opposition leader, Martin Fayulu, who came in second with about 35%.
Seeking legal redress: What Fayulu told the BBC
Defeated opposition candidate in DRC elections Martin Fayulu told the BBC’s Africa Editor that he will launch legal challenge to election result. In an interview, he confirmed that his team are preparing their plan.
Mr Fayulu made clear he had little faith the move would succeed but said he did not want to give President Kabila excuse to say he had not followed the legal options.
Asked if he would call on his supporters not to demonstrate on streets, he said it was legal right of all Congolese to protest according to the law. “If you are not happy you protest according to the law.”
Asked if he worried about violence in the coming days and weeks? “Yes I worry if CENI doesnt give us the correct figures, if CENI continue to act as its acting now, if Mr Kabila and his team continue to dictate what the electoral commission has to do.”
UK joins diplomatic doubts, Fayulu heads to court?
United States and the United Kingdom have joined calls for clarity over the January 10 provisional results following doubts raised by France and Belgium.
The UK Foreign Secretary, Jeremy Hunt, wrote in a tweet: “Very concerned about discrepancies in provisional #DRC election results. Crucial that Congolese people’s democratic will is respected. Data and methodology MUST be examined. Pleased Security Council will discuss tomorrow.”
The US Congress’ House Foreign Affairs Committee also demanded the release of disaggregated voting data to help bolster public faith in the provisional outcome.
Its chairman Eliot Engel said: CENI “should release disaggregated voting data to bolster public faith in provisional election results. DRC deserves a transparent & accountable government & I will be watching this situation closely.”
The other main party to have questioned the results being the Roman Catholic Church who have stressed that the results did not match with tallies that their 4,000 observer team put together.
Claims of Kabila – Tshisekedi plot: how true?
A number of people on social media are drawing conspiracy theories around the Tshisekedi victory, claiming that a deal must have been reached between the president-elect and the outgoing president.
The theorists hold that with the ruling party’s candidate clearly staring at defeat, Kabila opted for the lesser of two evils in the opposition camp, the CACH coalition.
The other camp led by Martin Fayulu – the Lamuka coalition – has two of Kabila’s political arch rivals in the persons of Moise Katumbi, a former governor of Katanga Province and Jean Pierre-Bemba – a former vice president.
Below are some of the claims about a Tshisekedi – Kabila “love story.”
Kabila is sly.He knew his candidate flopped.He infilters the opposition& rigs in Tshisekedi despite another opposition leader Fayulu taking the lead.People talking of a new DR Congo are https://t.co/mcRuojKf5H's the same forest different monkey.Waiting for the Catholic ⛪ results
— Mukami (@Mukami_Mungai) January 10, 2019
Anyone who has been following Congo’s elections know that the results for presidential elections published tonight don’t reflect truth nor justice. Tomorrow and coming days will be a historical test for #Congo. #Telema #RDCVote #DRC #RDC
— kambale (@kambale) January 10, 2019
Wow, what a ride the #DRC Congo elections have been. Fayulu is widely thought to have beaten Kabila’s man Shadary, but Tshisekedi is named the winner (presumably after a backroom deal with Kabila.)
— Ty McCormick (@TyMcCormick) January 10, 2019
One wonders if Kabila put this little contingency plan in place back in November when Tshisekedi mysteriously pulled out of the unity deal a day after he’d agreed to it.
— Ty McCormick (@TyMcCormick) January 10, 2019
What does electoral manipulation look like in Congo for the presidential election?
Catholic Church's independent tally:
Fayulu: 47%
Tshisekedi: 24%
Shadary: 19%Pres Kabila's concocted tally:
Tshisekedi: 38%
Fayulu: 35%
Shadary: 24% pic.twitter.com/ZT907Pdba9— Kenneth Roth (@KenRoth) January 10, 2019
Article sourced from Africa News
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