Devendra Kumar
Voting in the presidential and legislative elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo has been marred by chaos, with some polling stations opening late or not at all due to technical issues and violence. The electoral commission decided to extend voting into a second day, but five opposition candidates have called for a rerun, citing the extension as illegal. The opposition has also criticized the campaign, which was marked by political violence and warnings about the lack of transparency.
Congo’s last election, in 2018, was also plagued by problems. The vote was postponed by a week after a fire destroyed voting materials, and President Felix Tshisekedi was eventually declared the winner after a court appeal. The opposition claimed fraud, and Human Rights Watch reported that at least 10 people were killed by security forces during post-election protests. The election resulted in the country’s first democratic transfer of power, with Tshisekedi’s victory ending Joseph Kabila’s rule.
The current election is significant, as it determines the next president of the Democratic Republic of Congo, the second-largest country in Africa with a population of over 100 million people. The country is also the world’s largest producer of cobalt, a key component in electric car batteries and mobile phones, as well as a major producer of diamonds and copper. The outcome of the election will impact the country’s mining sector, as well as a multi-billion dollar metals-for-infrastructure deal with China.
Full provisional results of the presidential election are not expected until December 31st, but the opposition has already flagged issues with the voting process and may challenge the results. In the past, competing claims of victory have led to violent clashes, and the extension of voting into a second day could open it up to legal challenges. The administration of President Tshisekedi has dismissed criticism of the vote, calling the elections “inclusive, peaceful, and transparent.” However, the uncertainty surrounding the election’s outcome has raised concerns about political instability, particularly given the country’s troubled history with election violence.