EU calls for calm as Kabila is declared winner of DR Congo elections

Deutsche Welle, 9 Dec 2011 

Kibila has won another five-year
presidential term

The EU has called for calm in the Democratic Republic of Congo after President Joseph Kabila was named winner of the disputed election. The main opposition leader has rejected the result and declared himself president.

European Union chief diplomat, Catherine Aston, appealed for calm on Friday after the long-awaited presidential election results in the Democratic Republic of Congo were announced.

Incumbent President Joseph Kabila was declared the winner of the November 28 election, defeating the main opposition candidate Etienne Tshisekedi. Results released by the election commission revealed Kabila won with 49 percent of the 18.14 million votes cast, while his rival had 32 percent.

Tshisekedi immediately rejected Kabila's victory and declared himself the newly-elected leader.

"I consider these results a real provocation of the Congolese people," he said in an interview on RFI radio. "As a consequence, I consider myself, from today, the elected president of the Democratic Republic of Congo."           

Amid fears of civil unrest, Ashton urged security forces and politicians to foster a "calm atmosphere" in a "crucial time for the future of the DRC." She also requested that any challenges to the vote should be carried out through legal channels.

Renewed violence

Clashes with security forces have already broken out in the pro-opposition capital Kinshasa as well as reports of shooting, a UN source claimed on Friday, after Tshisekedi supporters set fire to tires, covering the city in columns of black smoke. Riot police were pre-emptively deployed in the city 

Clashes were reported in the
capital Kinshasha

Anticipating violence, the chief of the DRC's election commission warned against renewed conflict in the war-scarred central African state.   

"(The results) are no reason to whip up the population against the established order to contest the results, or to settle scores," Daniel Ngoy Mulunda told officials and diplomats gathered to hear the results.

Human Rights Watch claims that 18 people had already been killed in election violence and more than 100 others wounded as opposition protesters took to the streets alleging the government was attempting to rig the vote. Most of the deaths were believed to have been caused by troops loyal to President Kabila.

The announcement of the election result was delayed several times following logistical problems and calls from international observers for more transparency. Despite expressing fears the election was marred by irregularities and disorganization, however, foreign commentators have stopped short of calling the election fraudulent.

The November 28 poll was just the second in the Democratic Republic of Congo since back-to-back wars from 1996 to 2003. The election results must now be approved by the country's Supreme Court.

Author: Charlotte Chelsom-Pill (AFP, AP, Reuters)

Editor: Andreas Illmer