The Constitutional Court has upheld the victory of the incumbent despite widespread irregularities reported by independent observers during and after the December vote. Main opposition candidates, citing fraud, are calling for a re-run. Ongoing disputes, fueled by logistical mishaps, a last-minute voting extension, and a murky tabulation process, threaten to destabilize the mineral-rich yet poverty-stricken nation.
Of the 18 opposition presidential contenders, only Theodore Ngoyi took the matter to court, challenging provisional results that gave the incumbent, Tshisekedi, over 73% of the vote. Tshisekedi’s main opponents, including runner-up candidate Moise Katumbi, refrained from contesting the vote count in court, expressing distrust in state institutions.
Opposition candidate Martin Fayulu stated, “Our position remains the same: we did not witness credible elections,” rejecting the results and questioning Tshisekedi’s legitimacy. Katumbi’s spokesman accused the court of concealing cheating and fraud with a “legal varnish.”
The Constitutional Court, ruling on Tuesday, January 9, 2024, asserted that reported irregularities could not have influenced results significantly due to the substantial gap between Tshisekedi and Katumbi, who secured around 18% of votes. The court’s president, Dieudonne Kamuleta, emphasized that Ngoyi lacked evidence to substantiate claims that the counting process compromised the ballot’s fairness.
Despite calls for annulling the election citing “massive fraud,” the government and electoral commission insist the election was free and fair. The international community has been urged not to recognize provisional results. The coordinator of Congo’s Symocel observer mission expressed uncertainty about the basis on which the court verified the results.
Belgium, Congo’s former colonizer, congratulated Tshisekedi on his victory and encouraged the electoral commission to investigate irregularities.
(Reuters)
