Summary:
As Congo grapples with post-election chaos, President Felix Tshisekedi leads, but controversy looms. Explore the unfolding dispute, the latest figures, and the unique counting process raising eyebrows.
In the aftermath of the tumultuous Dec. 20 presidential election in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), a tangled narrative emerges. President Felix Tshisekedi takes the lead with over 76% of 12.5 million votes counted. Businessman Moise Katumbi and former energy executive Martin Fayulu follow with almost 17% and more than 4%, respectively.
The election commission, CENI, operates from Kinshasa’s Basolo, meaning “Truth” in Lingala. Since Dec. 22, they release near-daily updates on the provisional results. However, critics challenge the transparency of this process, demanding a re-run.
With 46,422 out of 76,000 polling stations contributing to the tally, the CENI faces skepticism about the overall voter turnout, with no clarity on how many of Congo’s 44 million registered voters participated.
Congolese electoral law mandates CENI’s results to be based on signed paper tallies from each polling station, enhancing transparency. Yet, the unfolding electoral dilemma raises questions about the reliability and authenticity of the results, fueling the call for a closer examination and potential electoral review.