As Kabila wraps presidential sash around successor, doubts linger about vote’s credibility The new president of the Democratic Republic of the Congo has called for national reconciliation after being sworn in as successor to Joseph Kabila in the country’s first transfer of power via an election in 59 years of […]
Tag: DRC elections
Tshisekedi in surprise victory, but rivals reject it as ‘electoral coup’
Riot police deployed amid fears of violence over alleged vote-rigging By Jason Burke Official election results in the Democratic Republic of the Congo do not reflect polling station data, the country’s respected Catholic church has said, as the runner-up denounced what he described as an “electoral coup” and fears grew […]
Riot police deployed in DRC ahead of presidential election results
Riot police have been deployed to protect election officials in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) as it braced for the announcement of the results of the presidential vote held 11 days ago. Security forces took up positions outside the offices of the DRC’s election commission and elsewhere in the […]
Church claims sweeping opposition win in DRC elections
Early results – which the regime is banning the media from reporting – indicate a win for the opposition after government plans to fix the poll went awry A showdown is looming after the country’s Catholic bishops announced they knew who had won the presidential election on 30 December, as […]
DR Congo shuts down internet after presidential vote
The internet was shut down in key cities in the Democratic Republic of Congo a day after the much-delayed presidential election. Opposition candidate Martin Fayulu’s campaign team accused the government of ordering the shut down to avoid broadcasting his “overwhelming victory” in Sunday’s poll. Telecoms minister Emery Okundji said he […]
The anointed one: Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary’s bid to succeed Kabila
President Joseph Kabila’s preferred successor, Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary, has a fearsome reputation in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The question is whether Mr Shadary can convert that into a victory in this month’s presidential election, which has been moved at short notice by the country’s electoral commission from 23 to […]
Opposition leaders slam Congo election delay
The leaders of the biggest opposition party in the Democratic Republic of Congo condemned the electoral commission’s decision to postpone long-awaited elections for a week and warned that their supporters would not tolerate any further delays, as tensions in the capital reached boiling point. The presidential vote, which should mean […]
In his father’s shadow: Felix Tshisekedi guns for DR Congo presidency
Felix Tshisekedi Tshilombo is one of the main opposition candidates vying for votes in Sunday’s presidential election in the Democratic Republic of Congo, but Louise Dewast considers if he can escape his father’s shadow. The 55-year-old father of five is mostly known for being the son of the late veteran […]
‘The people’s soldier’: Martin Fayulu’s ambition to be DRC president
Martin Fayulu means business. A campaign poster for the former oil executive shows him conscientiously rolling up his sleeves, ready to run the country. Underneath, a slogan promises that he wants to create “a dignified and prosperous Congo”. But Mr Fayulu, 62, faces stiff competition in the shape of Emmanuel […]