Tensions rose in DR Congo Tuesday as authorities banned a planned protest by opposition leaders against alleged “irregularities” in last week’s elections. The demonstrations, scheduled for Wednesday, have fueled concerns about potential unrest amid the ongoing vote tabulation process.
Five opposition presidential candidates, including Martin Fayulu and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Denis Mukwege, submitted a formal notice to the Kinshasa governor on Saturday, expressing their intention to hold the march.
However, with no official election results declared yet, the government argued the protests could destabilise the process.
“The government cannot permit demonstrations tomorrow that could significantly impact the ongoing electoral process,” stated Interior Minister Peter Kazadi at a press briefing. “Therefore, we must inform the public that this march will not proceed as planned.”
The opposition leaders, who have voiced criticism of the elections, condemned the ban as an attempt to stifle dissent.
“Our primary objective is to peacefully express our concern regarding irregularities witnessed during the voting,” they declared in a joint statement.
Meanwhile, another prominent opposition figure, Moise Katumbi, called for the entire election to be annulled due to alleged inconsistencies.
Nearly 44 million Congolese citizens were eligible to cast their ballots in the December 20th elections, electing a president, national and regional lawmakers, and municipal council members. Voting officially extended into Thursday due to logistical challenges and even continued on Christmas Day in some remote areas.
Opposition parties have vehemently denounced the process, describing it as “chaotic” and lacking transparency.
Despite these criticisms, preliminary results released by the electoral commission depict incumbent President Felix Tshisekedi with a significant lead, securing approximately 80% of the 1.8 million votes counted so far.