Opposition wins election in the Congo

In the Congo won by the opposition candidate, Félix Tshisekedi surprisingly, the presidential election. So he will replace the since the age of 17 with a heavy Hand ruling Joseph Kabila as head of state. The losing side accepts defeat, it would be the first peaceful change of power in the Congo for about 50 years.

The election Commission said on Thursday in Kinshasa, citing the preliminary results, Tshisekedi had get more than 7 million of the roughly 18 million votes cast. Tshisekedi got 38,57% of the votes, - said the head of the national electoral Commission Céni, Corneille Nangaa, on Thursday.

In second place was the second opposition candidate, Martin Fayulu (34.8 percent) landed, therefore, with over 6 million votes. The candidate of the government party, Emmanuel ramazani was the photographer Shadary, came just over 4 million votes (23.8 percent). For the victory in the presidential election of 30. December was enough for a simple majority.

The losing opposition candidate Fayulu questioned immediately the official result. The election Commission on Thursday published results are "a true election coup". "The results have nothing to do with the truth of the ballot box," said Fayulu by Radio France International. He requested to publish the actual results of the vote.

no peaceful transition of power

have been planned to The publication of the election results was scheduled for Sunday. However, it was postponed due to logistical problems. 39 million citizens had been called for in the historic election in order to vote.

The democratic Republic of the Congo is one of the most unstable countries in Africa. Since the end of Belgian colonial rule in 1960, there has never been a peaceful change of power.

The presidential election should have taken place according to the Constitution, actually, two years ago. Since President Kabila, however, refused, as planned, after two terms of office, assign, postponed the elections several times. Protests, however, were bloodily suppressed.

Speedy swearing-in is planned

The 55-year-old Tshisekedi, the son of the late Etienne Tshisekedi, who was for many years the face of the largest Congolese opposition party, the Union for democracy and Social progress (UDPS). Félix Tshisekedi was supported in the election campaign by the former President of Parliament, Vital Kamerhe of the Union for the Congolese Nation (UCN).

According to the election Commission, the constitutional court is the final results on 15. January announce. Against the election results, however, can be appealed.

The new President is already on 18. January will be sworn in, although the choice in some regions, could not take place because of the unrest and the Ebola epidemic. Thus, approximately 1.25 million were excluded from the 40 million eligible voters. The voting will be in March to be rescheduled. At the time of the vote at 30. December province of representatives and the Parliament had been re-elected. (chk/sda)

Created: 10.01.2019, 04:06 PM