UN: 'Significant irregularities' in DR Congo elections

UN: 'Significant irregularities' in DR Congo elections

2011-12-13 16:52:34 GMT+7 (ICT)

KINSHASA (BNO NEWS) -- The United Nations (UN) on Monday said that last month's presidential and parliamentary elections in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) were marred by 'significant irregularities.'

The UN Organization Stabilization Mission in DRC (MONUSCO) strongly urged the DRC's Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) to undertake "a timely and rigorous review" of the issues raised, particularly regarding the counting and tabulation of votes.

The mission also said the review of the polls should have the full participation of witnesses and observers, including foreign observer groups, who may offer to provide technical advice.

The DRC held its presidential and parliamentary elections on November 28 in what was only the country's second multi-party vote since its independence from Belgium in 1960. Eleven candidates ran for the presidency and 18,864 candidates competed for seats in the National Assembly, double the number that ran in 2006. There are an estimated 32 million registered voters in the DRC.

On Friday, communications minister Menda Omalanga declared incumbent President Joseph Kabila the winner of the presidential elections. 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.

"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 DRC. "We hope that anybody that contests these results will do so to the Supreme Court."

The Carter Center International Election Observation Mission in the DRC and other observer missions have all issued statements to voice their concern about the management process. In addition, the opposition leader rejected the results and declared himself president.

MONUSCO also called on CENI to ensure that all counting, compilation and verification operations under way to determine the results of National Assembly elections are conducted in a fully transparent manner, and to undertake corrective measures for future elections.

The UN mission also reiterated its call for all parties to settle election disputes peacefully and through the country's established institutions. In response to the threat of election-related violence, MONUSCO called upon all members of the political establishment to refrain from inciting confrontation against opponents and urged law enforcement agencies to exercise restraint when dealing with public demonstrations.

Since November 26, more than 10 people have allegedly been killed by security forces and supporters of political parties, and many more wounded through the use of live ammunition in the capital of Kinshasa. There are also reports of security forces detaining people at random. The UN Joint Human Rights Office (UNJHRO) in DRC, which has been monitoring election-related violence, is investigating these reports.

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