Tag Archives: Tshisekedi protests

DR Congo: tanks on street ahead of Kabila swearing-in

Posted on December 20, 2011 | Leave a comment

BBC

Tanks have been deployed in Kinshasa in case of opposition protests as Joseph Kabila prepares to be sworn in for a second term as Democratic Republic of Congo’s president.

 

 

 

 

The Supreme Court has confirmed that Mr Kabila gained the most votes in the November election.

But observers have criticised the poll and opposition leader Etienne Tshisekedi has declared himself president.

He says he will be sworn in on Friday.

Mr Tshisekedi, who enjoys strong support in the capital, Kinshasa, has called on civil servants and the security forces to take orders from him, rather than Mr Kabila.

He said he was offering a reward for the capture of Mr Kabila. Read more…

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Gunfire in Dr Congo after Kabila declared winner: four dead – BBC

Posted on December 10, 2011 | Leave a comment

Reuters Africa

By Jonny Hogg

KINSHASA (Reuters) – Clashes between opposition protesters and security forces broke out in parts of Democratic Republic of Congo on Saturday, killing at least one, a day after election authorities named incumbent President Joseph Kabila winner of a disputed poll.

Gunfire rang out in some cities, including the capital Kinshasa, after Kabila’s main challenger, Etienne Tshisekedi, said he rejected the official results and declared himself the new leader of the vast central African state.

“Since last night it has been very bad, we haven’t been able to sleep because of the gunfire,” said Tresor Nkuna, a resident of Kinshasa, an urban sprawl of 10 million people. “We don’t know when it’ll stop, it’s very violent,” he said.

Many other parts of Kinshasa were quiet with people staying indoors, witnesses said, but clashes between protesters and security forces were reported elsewhere in the country, with the United Nations reporting at least one dead. Protests also erupted in former colonial power Belgium. Read more…

 

BBC – says four reported dead in Kinshasa in violence. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-16127187

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DR Congo – Kabila declared winner but Tshisekedi claims victory

Posted on December 10, 2011 | Leave a comment

Reuters Africa

By Jonny Hogg

KINSHASA (Reuters) – The main challenger in Democratic Republic of Congo’s election declared himself president on Friday and poured scorn on provisional official results handing victory to incumbent Joseph Kabila.

Clashes broke out between tire-burning protesters and security forces in the mostly pro-opposition capital, Kinshasa, and fears mounted a post-election dispute would reignite conflict in the war-scarred central African state.

The head of the electoral commission said on Friday Kabila won nearly 49 percent of the votes to rival Etienne Tshisekedi’s roughly 32 percent, results an observer group later said appeared suspicious.

In Washington, the Obama administration called on Congolese authorities to complete the election process “with maximum openness and transparency.”

State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland also said the Kinshasa government “remains responsible for providing security for the people of the Congo” and that anyone involved in violence “must be held accountable.” Read more…

See also:  BBC on appeals for calm, http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-16122697

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Kabila wins DR Congo poll but opposition cries foul

Posted on December 9, 2011 | Leave a comment

BBC

President Joseph Kabila has won the Democratic Republic of Congo’s election, provisional results show.

He obtained 49% of the vote against 32% for veteran opposition leader Etienne Tshisekedi, the election commission chief said.

 

 

 

Mr Tshisekedi has rejected the results and declared himself president, raising fears of violent protests

The announcement of results has been delayed since Tuesday, with election officials blaming logistical problems.

DR Congo is rich in minerals such as gold, diamond and coltan, which is used in mobile phones. But years of conflict and mismanagement mean it recently came bottom of a survey of living standards around the world.

Riot police are patrolling the streets of the capital, Kinshasa, seen as an opposition stronghold in this country which is still recovering from years of conflict in which some four million people died.  Read more…

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