DRC refuses opposition demands for election re-run despite irregularities

On Déc 29, 2023

The Democratic Republic of Congo will not cancel the results of last week’s presidential election despite repeated calls from the opposition for a full re-run of the disputed vote.

Results issued from the 20 December poll show President Felix Tshisekedi with a commanding lead over his opponents.

Mounting tensions over the election threaten to further destabilise the DRC, which is already grappling with a security crisis in the east.

The region is home to some of the world’s largest productions of cobalt, and other industrial minerals and metals.

Police forcibly broke up a banned march on Wednesday in the capital Kinshasa by people protesting against the manner in which the presidential and legislative elections were conducted.

The opposition has alleged widespread irregularities and fraud. The national election commission (CENI) denies this.

Government spokesperson Patrick Muyaya said the opposition should wait until full results are published, and challenge them in the courts if necessary.

« Since they started the match, they should wait until the end of the match. That way they can see how to contest the results, » he told reporters.

Opposition anger

The team of Moise Katumbi, one of Tshisekedi’s main challengers, has ruled out using legal channels to contest the results, arguing that state institutions are committed to tipping the vote in the president’s favour.