On Sunday, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) held its long-delayed presidential elections, with incumbent President Felix Tshisekedi declared the winner. According to the National Independent Electoral Commission (CENI), Tshisekedi won 38.57% of the vote, with Martin Fayulu coming in second with 34.8%, and Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary in third with 23.8%. The elections had been postponed twice since they were originally scheduled in December 2018.
Tshisekedi’s victory has been widely disputed by his opponents in the election, as well as international observers. There have been allegations from Fayulu and Shadary that the election was rigged in Tshisekedi’s favor and is, therefore, not a fair representation of the will of the Congolese people. In addition, international observers have expressed concerns about the lack of transparency and fairness of the process.
Tshisekedi has vowed to investigate the allegations of electoral fraud. He has also promised to improve education, healthcare, and infrastructure in the DRC. In the meantime, the international community has urged all sides to uphold the spirit of peaceful dialogue and respect the results of the election.
