The incumbent president is leading an election count in Congo that has been marred by delays and protests
Early results from the Democratic Republic of Congo’s December presidential election showed President Felix Tshisekedi in the lead on Sunday, with more than 73 percent of the vote in the election, marred by serious logistical problems, protests and calls for the annulment of several opposition candidates.
The announcement was a crucial moment in an election plagued by acute problems – some due to Congo’s enormous size, others due to haste and disorganization – that many fear could plunge the Central African country into a new round of political unrest and even violent unrest could ensue. happened during most polls in recent years.
The results of the elections are important not only for Congo’s 100 million people, who have suffered from decades of conflict and poor governance, but also for Western countries that see Congo as a crucial part of their efforts to tackle climate change and the transition to against green energy.
Congo produces 70 percent of the world’s cobalt, a key element in the electric car industry, and it is the second largest rainforest, which absorbs large amounts of planet-warming carbon dioxide. But for many in Congo, a decades-old, corruption-ridden system of political patronage is seen as the best way to distribute the spoils of that natural wealth — which could explain why the presidential race is so hotly contested.
Five of the nineteen candidates outright rejected the election process, days before the results were announced, and called for a new election.
On December 23, five opposition leaders arrived accused the country’s election commission of “massive fraud”, called on the head of the commission to resign and said the entire vote should be annulled. Four days later, opposition leaders held a demonstration in the capital Kinshasa to protest what they called “sham elections.” Security forces surrounded the offices of Martin Fayulu, one of the opposition candidates, and threw tear gas at protesters there, according to his spokesman and videos shared on social media.
Opposition leaders, including Moïse Katumbi, a business magnate who is President Tshisekedi’s biggest rival, condemned the security forces’ actions and promised more marches across the country.
Mr. Katumbi received 3 million votes, or about 18 percent of the votes counted. Mr Fayulu received just over 960,000 votes.
“A point of no return has just been crossed,” Mr Katumbi said said on social media earlier this week. “This first march will be followed by other actions across the country. Deceit, fraud and lying will not pass away.”
But Mr Tshisekedi, the incumbent and long-standing favorite to win, repeatedly stressed that the election, which Its operation cost more than $1.25 billionwas good enough.
Logistical chaos marred the election long before the first votes were cast on December 20. For weeks, election officials had rushed to get materials to 75,000 polling stations in a country the size of Western Europe with few paved roads in the middle of the rainy season. season.
Yet only 70 percent of polling stations were open on election day, the election commission said, prompting it to extend voting to a second day. Opposition leaders denounced the extension, claiming it would facilitate fraud. It also drew criticism from the Roman Catholic and Protestant churches, which enjoy broad public support across Congolese society and operate a network of election observers; The churches said the measure violated the country’s electoral laws and was unconstitutional.
On December 22, voting took place even in remote areas, including parts of Kwango and Kasai provinces, the Rev. Rigobert Minani, a prominent Catholic campaigner, said in a text message.
The election commission acknowledged the delays but stressed that extending the vote did not undermine its legitimacy.
Just over 18 million people, out of 44 million registered voters, have cast their votes, the election commission said on Sunday.
Mr Tshisekedi, who came to power in 2019 under hotly contested circumstances, had hoped these elections would be an easy victory.
In that vote, unofficial figures from Catholic and other observers showed that another candidate – Martin Fayulu, a former oil executive – was likely to have won three times as many votes as Mr Tshisekedi. But after several weeks of political turmoil, Tshisekedi struck a power-sharing deal with outgoing president Joseph Kabila, who had ruled for 18 years.
That deal collapsed within a year, and since then Mr Tshisekedi has effectively consolidated his power and won popular support by providing free primary education to millions of Congolese children. But failed to deliver on two important promises: bring peace to eastern CongoWhere conflict has raged since 1996, and to tackle the country’s notorious reputation for corruption.
Instead, political opponents argue, Mr Tshisekedi and his extended family have acquired significant wealth during his time in power.
The United States played a crucial role after Congo’s last elections, in December 2018, when it blessed the controversial power-sharing deal between Mr Tshisekedi and Mr Kabila. This time, U.S. officials have taken pains to emphasize that they are not taking sides.
In a statement on December 22, the US embassy in Kinshasa pointed out the logistical problems with the elections and called on Congolese leaders to “exercise restraint” and peacefully resolve any election disputes that might ensue.
Emma Bubola contributed reporting from London.