Congo presidential vote results delayed in wake of criticism

Bloomberg

The Democratic Republic of Congo delayed the release of provisional results from last week’s presidential election as criticism of the country’s handling of the vote grew.
Congolese went to the polls on December 30 to find a successor to President Joseph Kabila, who’s ruled since 2001, in an election that was already two years overdue. The central African nation hasn’t had a peaceful transfer of power since gaining independence from Belgium almost five decades ago.
The board of the National Independent Electoral Commission, known as CENI, is meeting to evaluate the progress made so far compiling results at almost 180 centres nationwide, the body said on its Twitter account. A spokesman for CENI declined to provide further information other than that the winner of the contest won’t be announced on Sunday as scheduled and that CENI’s president will update the media later.
Martin Fayulu, an opposition presidential candidate who heads a coalition known as Lamuka, had urged the authorities to avoid delaying the result’s announcement.

‘Significantly Marred’
CENI should “quickly announce the results” as they were recorded at the country’s almost 75,000 polling stations, Pierre Lumbi, Fayulu’s campaign director, told reporters in the capital, Kinshasa.
“The Lamuka coalition warns CENI against any attempt to modify the results which were posted on the polling stations and will hold it responsible for all consequences which would result from this situation,” Lumbi said.
The US State Department this week criticised CENI for denying accreditation to several foreign election observers and media to monitor the vote.
Human Rights Watch, a New York-based advocacy group, said in a report the vote was significantly marred by “widespread irregularities, voter suppression and violence.”
The body that represents Congo’s Catholic bishops said the results collected on election day by its 40,000-strong observer mission showed there was a clear winner, without identifying the person.
The election is a three-way contest between Kabila’s protege, Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary, and two main opposition candidates — Fayulu and Felix Tshisekedi.

Internet Cut
The government has tried to limit speculation about the outcome of the election by cutting off the internet the day after the vote and warning media that only CENI is allowed to publish results.
The Catholic organisation, known as CENCO, determined that Fayulu won the election, the New York Times reported on Saturday, citing Barnabe Kikaya bin Karubi, a senior adviser to Kabila, and an unidentified Western official.
Government spokesman Lambert Mende said the article was part of “neo-colonialist and imperialist escapades” by Western interests.