Felix Tshisekedi poised for victory as DR Congo election results imminent

The Democratic Republic of Congo's election results are expected to be revealed soon, and President Félix Tshisekedi is currently in the lead, with a significant advantage over the opposition candidates who have called for a redo of the election. Tshisekedi has received about 72% of the votes announced so far, positioning him for a second term as president. The election, which took place on December 20, faced numerous logistical challenges. Some parts of the extensive country had to extend voting to a second day due to these issues. According to an observer group, around two-thirds of polling stations opened late, and 30% of voting machines were not functional. This resulted in millions of people waiting for hours to cast their votes, and some even gave up and left. The opposition has accused authorities of deliberately creating these difficulties to manipulate the election results in favor of Tshisekedi. However, the head of the election commission dismissed this claim, stating that the opposition candidates were trying to push for a new election because they knew they had lost. Denis Kadima, the election chief, admitted to some irregularities but stressed that the announced results so far reflected the will of the Congolese people. In second place is Moise Katumbi, a football tycoon and mining magnate, with approximately 18% of the vote. Martin Fayulu, a former oil executive who believes he was cheated out of victory in the 2018 election, is in third place with about 5%. The exact number of polling stations and voter turnout has not been disclosed by election officials. Thus far, 17.8 million votes have been counted from 55,000 out of 76,000 polling stations. Approximately 44 million people were registered to vote. It remains uncertain if any of the 18 opposition candidates will challenge the results in court, as Mr. Katumbi has already stated that it is not worthwhile due to the lack of independence in the judiciary. The Constitutional Court has a 10-day period to address any legal challenges before announcing the final results on January 10, 2024. The presidential inauguration is scheduled for January 20. The Democratic Republic of Congo, which is approximately four times the size of France, suffers from inadequate infrastructure. Even major cities lack proper road connectivity. About two-thirds of the country's 100 million population live below the poverty line, earning $2.15 or less per day. In addition to the presidential race, voters also selected parliamentary, provincial, and municipal representatives from a pool of around 100,000 candidates. Part of the eastern region did not participate in the elections due to ongoing fighting that has persisted for the past three decades. Numerous armed groups have been vying for control over this area, which holds a significant portion of the country's vast mineral resources, including cobalt, a crucial component in many lithium batteries seen as vital for a future free from fossil fuels.