The president of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Felix Tshisekedi, was sworn in for a second five-year time period on Saturday after sweeping elections that the opposition branded a sham whereas calling for protests.
With tensions simmering within the huge nation’s risky jap provinces, the 60-year-old president often called “Fatshi” picked Kinshasa’s 80,000-capacity Martyrs sports activities stadium for the ceremony.
The stands had been packed properly earlier than noon with singing and dancing in full circulate, with some 20 invited heads of African states in attendance.
“I solemnly swear… to defend the structure and the legal guidelines of the Republic… to take care of its independence and the integrity of its territory,” the re-elected president declared earlier than the judges of the Constitutional Court docket, earlier than receiving greetings from the normal chiefs of the 26 provinces of the immense Central African nation.
“I’m conscious of your expectations,” Tshisekedi then declared in his inaugural speech, referring amongst different issues to unemployment, youth, girls and nationwide cohesion.
Tshisekedi’s first swearing-in, in January 2019 after controversially defeating Joseph Kabila, befell within the gardens of the Palace of Nations, a solemn venue that has historically staged vital official occasions.
Tshisekedi is the son of the late historic opposition determine Etienne Tshisekedi.
He grew to become president promising to enhance dwelling circumstances within the DRC — which boasts mineral riches however has a largely impoverished inhabitants of 100 million — and put an finish to 25 years of bloodshed within the east.
He has not stored these guarantees however this time round he campaigned strongly on his first-term achievements comparable to free major remedy, asking for an additional mandate to “consolidate” the progress.
– ‘Gigantic, organised mess ‘ –
Greater than 40 million folks had been registered to vote on December 20 for a president, in addition to nationwide and regional lawmakers and municipal councillors.
Polling was formally prolonged by a day to account for a number of logistical snarls and continued for days afterwards in distant areas.
In the long run, Tshisekedi formally triumphed with 73.47 % of the vote.
Moise Katumbi, a former governor of the central area of Katanga, got here a distant second with 18.08 %.
Martin Fayulu, who says he was additionally robbed on the final presidential vote, garnered 5 %.
Denis Mukwege, who received the Nobel peace prize for his work with rape victims, scored simply 0.22 %.
These candidates referred to as for the election outcomes to be cancelled. A protest deliberate for December 27 was banned and snuffed out by the police.
The archbishop of Kinshasa denounced the elections as a “gigantic, organised mess”.
Accusations of fraud and an “electoral hold-up” haven’t abated and the concern of violence stays actual in a rustic with a darkish political previous.
– Safety challenges –
Katumbi and Fayulu have appealed to supporters to “present their discontent” on Saturday.
They urged folks “to face up and say ‘no'”, from wherever they occur to be.
AFP reporters mentioned tyres had been burnt on Saturday morning on the streets of Goma, capital of the conflict-torn jap province of North Kivu.
Within the provincial city of Beni, additionally within the east, youths tried to arrange barricades however police intervened.
The electoral fee CENI has recognised circumstances of fraud, vandalism and intimidation, in addition to using unlawful voting machines.
Within the common election, the vote has been annulled for 82 candidates — together with three authorities ministers and 4 provincial governors.
The safety problem stays monumental for Tshisekedi.
There was a lull in combating within the east throughout the elections however violence has since resumed between the military and M23 rebels, backed by neighbouring Rwanda.
Since mid-December, troops from the 10-nation Southern African Growth Group (SADC) have been discreetly arriving within the DRC.
They’re taking over from an East African peacekeeping pressure whose mandate was ended by the DRC authorities, which alleged it colluded with the rebels as an alternative of combating them.
A senior military officer mentioned on Tuesday that Kinshasa was relying on them to assist re-capture floor from the M23 militia, which has conquered swathes of territory within the east since taking over arms once more in 2021.
bur-at/pvh/bc
