The Democratic Republic of Congo’s constitutional court affirmed the results of the recent election on Tuesday, confirming Felix Tshisekedi as the victor. This decision dismissed an opposition candidate’s petition seeking to invalidate the election. The December 20th electoral process, encompassing presidential, legislative, regional, and local contests, had been criticized by opposition leaders as a “sham.” In late December, nine opposition candidates jointly rejected the election results, labeling it as fraudulent and calling for a re-run.
Judge Kamuleta Badibanga Dieudonne, the president of the constitutional court, declared, “Mr. Tshisekedi Tshilombo Felix Antoine has been elected president of (Congo) by a majority of votes cast.” This ruling effectively secures Tshisekedi’s position as the head of Africa’s second-largest country and the world’s leading producer of cobalt and other valuable industrial commodities for another five years.
Despite reports from independent observers highlighting widespread irregularities during and after the December vote, the court upheld Tshisekedi’s victory. The main opposition candidates had urged a re-run, alleging fraud in the electoral process. Approximately 18 million people participated in the election, with a turnout exceeding 40%, according to the election commission. Tshisekedi secured more than 70% of the vote.
In the election results, Moise Katumbi, a former governor of the central Katanga region, followed Tshisekedi with 18.08%. Martin Fayulu came next with 4.92%, former prime minister Adolphe Muzito with 1.13%, and Denis Mukwege, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate for his work with female victims of wartime sexual violence, received less than one percent of the vote.
