Congo’s Kabila re-elected as opposition cries foul

Joseph Kabila has won re-election in the Democratic Republic of Congo in provisional results slammed by the opposition as ‘totally unacceptable.’

President for a decade, Kabila got 49 per cent of the vote against 32 per cent for rival Etienne Tshisekedi according to electoral authorities.

The results still need ratifying by the Supreme Court. But the challenger’s camp says it has no faith in the credibility of the tribunal, and amid opposition claims of vote-rigging, Tshisekedi has declared himself elected president of the deeply-divided country.

Human rights groups say at least 18 people have been killed in election-related violence so far. More bloodshed is now feared, despite tight security in Kinshasa.

Last month’s poll was meant to move the Democratic Republic of Congo towards stability after years of conflict and turmoil. That now seems a long way off.

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