President Félix Tshisekedi of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has been declared the winner of the recent heated election, despite opposition cries of electoral fraud. Notably, the elections, which took place late December, were disrupted by multiple incidents causing the international community to question the process’s integrity.
Two parliamentary candidates were killed in separate episodes, and the EU withdrew its electoral observation mission, citing security issues. As polling station setbacks and malfunctioning voting machines led to the election’s extension, protests ensued against the electoral commission (CENI) in Kinshasa. These demonstrations were banned by Tshisekedi, leading to law enforcement’s severe crackdown on protesters.
Opposition leader Moïse Katumbi expressed his disappointment after the election results, critical of what he termed as ‘sham elections.’ He voiced his concerns with robust language:
“After the sham elections organized by the CENI, the Congolese people decided – as the Constitution gives them the right to do – to take charge and march peacefully to demand a real election. The only response was that the population encountered shooting and indiscriminate violence from the police. There are several injured. This is unacceptable!”
CENI announced that Tshisekedi secured over 70% of the votes, with Katumbi at 18% and another candidate, Martin Fayulu achieving just over 5%. These results have been refuted by both Katumbi and Fayulu, who have called upon their followers to protest the ‘sham’ election. Despite such internal disputes, several leaders from other African nations, including Kenya’s President William Samoei Ruto, have congratulated Tshisekedi on his win.
The DRC, a notable source of valuable materials such as cobalt and copper, has been subject to scrutiny over its human rights record. In September 2023, Human Rights Watch raised concerns that the region’s demand accentuates abuse and human rights violations.
For more details, read the full report on JURIST.