PH
Following the prohibition of a protest against last week’s elections, police in the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kinshasa, blocked demonstrators from gathering on Wednesday, as witnessed by AFP reporters.
Prominent opposition lawmakers in the mineral-rich but impoverished Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) announced the protest after rejecting the vote last week, which was tainted by protracted delays and chaotic bureaucracy.
The demonstration will not be permitted, according to Congolese Interior Minister Peter Kazadi, who stated on Tuesday that it “aims to harm the electoral process.”
Nevertheless, the opposition called on supporters to assemble close to the national assembly and march to the nation’s election commission offices.
AFP correspondents reported that dozens of riot police were stationed in the region on Wednesday, preventing protests from occurring.
When supporters of opposition politician Martin Fayulu gathered at his party’s offices, police opened fire with tear gas canisters. Rocks were thrown at the police by the fans.
Nearby, young protesters also set tyres alight.
Fayulu later said that at least 11 people had been injured.
General Blaise Kilimbalimba, the chief of police in Kinshasa, reported that two officers had been hurt.
He went on to say that there had been minors present among the demonstrators and that the protest organizers will be called in to answer questions.
On December 20, elections were held to select city council members, national and local legislators, and a president. Approximately 44 million people were registered to vote.
However, in the vast and unstable nation, which is roughly the size of continental western Europe, the electoral commission found it difficult to deliver voting materials to polling places in a timely manner, which prevented some voters from casting ballots.
‘Gigantic organised mess’
Voting was officially extended by a day and even lasted until Christmas Day in some remote areas.
The opposition claimed there was “total chaos” and denounced irregularities.
The archbishop of Kinshasa likewise described the election as a “gigantic organised mess”.
Given the DRC’s lengthy history of authoritarian leadership and violent government overthrow, election-related conflicts are not uncommon there.
Patrick Muyaya, a spokesman for the government, stated on social media that the opposition should wait for the preliminary results to be published before complaining to the Constitutional Court over the election process.
With 79 percent of the over six million votes tabulated thus far, incumbent President Felix Tshisekedi is clearly in the lead, according to preliminary data made public by the electoral commission.
The 60-year-old is vying for a second five-year term. She was elected in January 2019 following the nation’s first orderly transition of power.
Approximately 14% of the votes that have been tabulated so far have gone to Moise Katumbi, the former governor of the southeast Katanga district.
With 4% of the vote, he is followed by Fayulu, a former oil executive who believes he should have won the 2018 election.
