DR Congo President Kabila declared winner of presidential elections

2011-12-10 17:22:35 GMT+7 (ICT)

KINSHASA (BNO NEWS) -- Incumbent President Joseph Kabila has been declared the winner of last week's elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the country's communications minister announced on Friday. The opposition has rejected the results.

Kabila, who has been in power since 2001, obtained 48.9 percent of the vote while 32 percent of the vote went to veteran opposition leader Etienne Tshisekedi, according to results read on national television by Daniel Ngoy Mulunda, president of the country's election commission. However, the opposition leader rejected the results and declared himself president.

"We consider that Mr. Kabila is the president-elect while we are waiting for the final decision from the Supreme Court," said Menda Omalanga, the communications minister in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. "We hope that anybody that contests these results will do so to the Supreme Court."

The results of the elections, which were held November 28 and November 29, had been delayed since Tuesday. Opposition leaders accused the election commission this week of conducting a botched poll, raising fears of renewed political violence, CNN reported.

Shortly after the elections were held, the United Nations (UN) said more than ten people were allegedly killed by security forces and supporters of political parties, adding that many more had been wounded by the use of live ammunition. The New York-based rights group Human Rights Watch said at least 18 people were killed in violence leading up to the elections.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Friday urged all candidates and their supporters to exercise restraint and condemned any acts of violence. "The Secretary-General calls for any differences regarding the provisional results of the polls to be resolved peacefully through available legal and mediation mechanisms, including the National Mediation Committee," his spokesperson, Martin Nesirky, said in a statement.

The British Minister for Africa, Henry Bellingham, urged Congolese authorities to investigate and resolve all reported irregularities. "It is also important that any challenges to the results should be conducted through the proper channels, not through violence. Similarly, the reaction of the security forces to any disturbances will be key; they need to react proportionately and avoid escalating confrontations," he added.

Millions of Congolese went to the polls to cast their votes in presidential and parliamentary elections. The November 28 elections marked the country's second democratic elections since its independence in 1960. The African nation suffered several years of civil conflict that ended in 2003. More than 5 million people were killed.

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2011-12-10

No surprise there then

No surprise there then

Dear People of DRC, we present you with your Beloved President... for Life...