The Constitutional Court of the Democratic Republic of Congo on Tuesday upheld Felix Tshisekedi's re-election in the December 20 presidential election, with more than 73 percent of the vote, after rejecting a petition by a candidate in the election.

According to the final results announced in open court by the Court, the outgoing president, in power since January 2019, even gained a tenth of a point, to 73.47%, compared to the provisional figures announced on 31 December by the electoral commission (CENI), which attributed him 73.34% of the vote.

To achieve this result, the Constitutional Court deducted from the scores of the 26 presidential candidates the votes recorded in two constituencies where the CENI annulled the general elections due to various frauds. At the same time, on 5 January, the CENI cancelled the votes for 82 candidates.

A quadruple election - presidential, legislative, provincial and local - was held on 20 December but was postponed by at least one day due to multiple logistical problems.

Same order of arrival

The final figures established by the Constitutional Court do not change the ranking of the 26 candidates who were running for the presidential election, a single round election, but for some slightly change their percentage of votes obtained.

Félix Tshisekedi was followed by the former governor of Katanga (south-east) Moïse Katumbi, who won 18.08% of the vote (unchanged), and the other opponent Martin Fayulu, who won 4.92% (against 5.33% according to provisional figures).

Another candidate, former Prime Minister Adolphe Muzito, is credited with 1.13% of the vote (against 1.12%). All the others, including Nobel Peace Prize winner Denis Mukwege, do not exceed 1%.

On Monday, the Constitutional Court examined a petition by a candidate, who came last in the election, who asked for the cancellation of the presidential election, which he said was marred by a "multitude of irregularities".

The court, which handed down its decision on Tuesday before declaring the final results of the election, rejected the petition and declared another petition by a private voter inadmissible.

With AFP

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