The electoral commission of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has declared Felix Tshisekedi as the victor in the recently concluded election, triggering protests and objections from opposition factions alleging fraudulent practices during the process.
According to provisional figures released by the electoral body, the incumbent secured a substantial win with 73 percent, while his closest rival garnered 18 percent.
In a Sunday announcement, President Tshisekedi claimed a landslide victory, marking his second term in office—a declaration met with skepticism by opposition leaders who denounce the entire electoral proceedings as a charade.
The provisional outcomes from the singular round of the presidential ballot, as proclaimed by the country’s electoral commission, Ceni, illustrate Tshisekedi’s dominance with a 73 percent vote share.
“I have been re-elected president of all Congolese,” Mr Tshisekedi is quotd by AFP addressing his supporters.
Moise Katumbi, a wealthy entrepreneur and former provincial governor, was the runner-up in the election.
The Constitutional Court of the Democratic Republic of Congo is anticipated to validate the provisional results on January 10.
Tshisekedi initially assumed the presidency in January 2019 after a contentious election that many observers claimed he had, in reality, lost.
Martin Fayulu, who asserted that he was unjustly deprived of victory in the 2018 presidential election, also contested this year’s poll, ultimately securing around five percent of the votes.
Out of the remaining 20 candidates, including Nobel Peace Prize laureate Denis Mukwege, who is renowned for his advocacy for female victims of wartime sexual violence, most hovered around or below one percent.
On Sunday, nine opposition candidates, including Mukwege, Fayulu, and Katumbi, collectively rejected the election results, terming them a “sham,” and called for a rerun.
Additional reporting by AFP.
gandae@businessdayafrica.org