Discontent in DRC after legislative election results

2024-01-15T05:16:40.712Z

Highlights: With more than 430 seats out of the 470 or so up for grabs, re-elected President Félix Tshisekedi's sacred union is leading the legislative elections. The opposition has suffered setbacks and is denouncing the election results, which are still provisional. These results pave the way for litigation before the Constitutional Court. Most of the applicants could unsurprisingly come from the ruling majority, although bolstered by an unprecedented score of at least 430 MPs out of some 470 at this stage. But at the CENI, an official believes that many of the protesters do not master the electoral law.

Discontent in DRC after legislative election results

With more than 430 seats out of the 470 or so up for grabs, re-elected President Félix Tshisekedi's sacred union is leading the legislative elections along with the president's UDPS party and its satellite and allied parties. The opposition has suffered setbacks and is denouncing the election results, which are still provisional. These results pave the way for litigation before the Constitutional Court.

Voters check election results pasted on the door of a polling station in Kinshasa on December 21, 2023. AFP - JOHN WESSELS

By: RFI Follow

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With our correspondent in Kinshasa, Pascal Mulegwa

Most of the applicants could unsurprisingly come from the ruling majority, although bolstered by an unprecedented score of at least 430 MPs out of some 470 at this stage.

The coalition of re-elected President Félix Thisekedi includes disgruntled people who have made their anger known on social networks or in the corridors. They denounce these results, which some liken to "appointments" and others to a "settling of scores".

But at the CENI, an official who spoke to RFI on Sunday night believes that many of the protesters do not master the electoral law and the way the threshold is calculated.

The observation mission of the Catholic and Protestant Churches had already pointed out the opacity in the calculation and allocation of seats. This, the mission recalled, "is not likely to reassure all stakeholders and does not promote the acceptance of the results".

Radical opponents, for their part, point out that they have already rejected this electoral process and the results that result from it. An "ignominy", says Moïse Katumbi's camp, which won only about 20 seats according to these provisional results. A "sham", insists Matata Mponyo, who criticises the "chaotic" elections.

Read alsoLegislative elections in the DRC: what are the major issues of results still awaited

Discontent in DRC after legislative election results

Discontent in DRC after legislative election results

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