The presidential election in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is in the midst of a legitimacy crisis, with opposition voices including Katumbi demanding the annulment of the vote over allegations of fraud.
On Saturday, five opposition candidates, including the former provincial Governor Katumbi, asserted that the election should be invalidated, citing pervasive instances of “massive fraud” that cast doubt on the integrity of the results.
A protest march against the results is scheduled for next Wednesday, and five other opposition leaders, including Nobel Peace Prize winner Denis Mukwege and former oil executive Martin Fayulu, have joined the call.
“We will protest against the irregularities noted during the voting operations,” they said in a letter to the governor of Kinshasa, where they plan to rally.
Approximately 44 million citizens in the resource-abundant Central African nation participated in the electoral process, registering to cast their votes in the selection of the country’s president, national and regional lawmakers, as well as local councillors.
Incumbent President Felix Tshisekedi, holding a substantial lead in preliminary results from the diaspora voters, is seeking re-election, contending against 18 opposition candidates.
Amid concerns of potential unrest reminiscent of past disputed election outcomes, Western governments have advocated for caution. In a collective statement issued on Saturday, 12 European embassies, along with the Canadian embassy, urged all parties involved to exercise restraint.
