DRC opposition decries ‘irregularities’: ‘Better to hold messy election than to delay indefinitely’

Initial results from a presidential poll in DR Congo began to trickle in on Friday after shambolic elections spread over several days which the authorities deemed successful. The central African nation’s electoral commission, Ceni, announced results for Congolese voters living in South Africa, Belgium, France, Canada and the United States. The results represent a minuscule proportion of the overall votes cast, but they indicated a provisional lead for incumbent President Felix Tshisekedi, who is running for a second term. Poor but mineral-rich Democratic Republic of Congo held four concurrent polls on Wednesday to elect the president, lawmakers for national and provincial assemblies as well as local councillors. Massive delays and bureaucratic chaos marred the vote and some polling booths were unable to open at all. Ceni extended voting in some areas until Thursday. In a statement, the electoral commission said that no polling station was authorised to open on Friday. However, voting continued in some places on Friday, according to officials, especially in the more remote areas of the vast country the size of continental western Europe. In a preliminary statement on Friday, the Carter Center — which observed the elections — said there had been « serious irregularities » at 21 out of 109 polling stations it visited. The ballot had proceeded « relatively well » in the other 88. In 24 polling stations, its observers identified technical problems with electronic voting devices, the US-based group added. As DR Congo results trickle in, following chaotic elections and accusations of irregularities, FRANCE 24’s Will Hilderbrandt is joined by Dr. Douglas Yates, Professor of Political Science and African Politics at American Graduate School of International Relations and Diplomacy and Lecturer at the University of Cergy-Pontoise, for in-depth analysis and a deeper perspective on the rocky election rollout and the overall political situation in Africa’s second-largest country.