CENI confirms no results till further notice.
Elections boss, Corneille Nangaa has officially stated that preliminary results from the December 30 elections will be delayed, the AP news agency reported today, January 6, 2019.
Today had been scheduled for the release of initial results but CENI had earlier last week warned that the process could delay because of the slow transmission of tally sheets.
The Catholic Church said almost 24-hours later that its independent tabulation showed that there was an outright winner of the polls. That position earned it flak from the ruling FCC coalition.
Internet services have been shutdown in a move justified by government as necessary to maintain peace and security as it will curtail the incidence of spreading fake results.
Tensions are likely to move a notch higher as Congolese await the release of results. Barely a day after the vote the ruling coalition and two main opposition camps claimed victory without giving any figures.
The Church, western governments, the European and African Union have all asked CENI to ensure results announced are in tune with the wishes of the people.
The United States has meanwhile deployed soldiers to Gabon, its president told lawmakers on Friday.
The 80-man contingent will fly into the DRC to protect US citizens and its installations in the country in the event of any violence after results are announced. Below is Trump’s letter communicating the measure.
In a letter to congressional leaders, Trump said the first of about 80 military personnel arrived in Gabon on Wednesday in case they are needed to protect U.S. citizens and diplomatic facilities in Congo’s capital Kinshasa.
He said they “will remain in the region until the security situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo becomes such that their presence is no longer needed.”
Trump said additional forces may deploy to Gabon “if necessary.”
January 4, 2019: Ruling FCC slams church over results claim
The ruling coalition, the Common Front for Congo, FCC, on Friday blasted the Roman Catholic Church, CENCO, leadership over claims it knew an outright winner of the December 30 presidential poll.
FCC spokesman, Barnabe Kikaya Bin Karubi, at a press conference in the capital Kinshasa said the church by their pronouncements was sowing seeds of chaos.
“The Common Front for the Congo firmly deplores, denounces and condemns the partisan, irresponsible and anarchic attitude of the CENCO.
“… and Mr Abbot Nshole Donatien in particular who, having deployed less than a quarter of observers to the totality of the planned polling stations, consisting of 40,000 short term observers and 1,026 long term observers, allows himself to proclaim, totally illegally, trends that culminate in the choice of a well identified candidate for the presidential vote.”
CENCO said on Thursday that per figures available to them, there was a clear winner from the vote and tasked the elections body, CENI, to announce the true will of the people.
CENI via its chairman Corneille Nangaa had earlier this week said it was unable to release preliminary results on January 6, 2019 due to slow transmission of tally.
With the holding of elections on December 30, the Democratic Republic of Congo is at a historic moment towards a democratic transition. International and local observers have spoken.
The EU joins calls from, among others, the African Union Election Observation Mission and the Chairperson of the AU Commission, to ensure that the results of the proclamation are in line with the vote of the Congolese people.
All political actors in the Democratic Republic of Congo have the responsibility to contribute to the success of this transition in a spirit of reconciliation and peace.
The EU, for its part, remains ready to support this process in close consultation with its partners, particularly UN and African partners.
The influential Roman Catholic Church in the DRC says there is an outright winner of the December 30 presidential polls. Its comments comes at a time the elections body, CENI, says preliminary results will be delayed beyond Sunday, January 6, 2018.
The body of bishops, CENCO, did not mention the candidate who had won per its computation of results. Neither did it disclose the data or source of information.
Both the opposition and ruling coalition said on Monday they were on track to win after a turbulent election day on Sunday in which many Congolese were unable to vote due to an Ebola outbreak, conflict and logistical problems.
Barnabe Kikaya bin Karubi, a senior adviser to President Joseph Kabila, said internet and SMS services were cut to preserve public order after “fictitious results” began circulating on social media.
“That could lead us straight toward chaos,” Kikaya told Reuters, adding the connections would remain cut until the publication of complete results on Jan. 6.
As at Tuesday evening, the African Union, AU, delegation in the country called a meeting with the main presidential aspirants and the elections commission chief at a hotel in the capital, Kinshasa.
A journalist with the June Afrique newspaper posted photos of Felix Tshisekedi and Martin Fayulu – both leading opposition coalitions arriving at the premises of Hotel Kempinski.
The elections boss, Corneille Nangaa left the meeting without any comments to the media. It is reported that the ruling party’s candidate, Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary was also invited but no reports of his participation were made.
It is not known what the agenda of the meeting was but it is most likely connected with conduct of players as they await results from the December 30, 2018 vote.
— Daniel Finnan (@Daniel_Finnan)
The signal to Radio France Internationale (RFI), one of the most popular news sources in Congo, was also down, and the government withdrew the accreditation of RFI’s main correspondent in the country late on Monday for having aired unofficial results from the opposition.
The various moves reflected high tensions in Congo, where the long-delayed election was meant to choose a successor to Kabila, who is due to step down next month after 18 years in power – and two years after the official end of his mandate.
The authorities have also confirmed cutting the broadcast signal of a local channel, Canal Congo TV. The channel is known to be close to former veep Jean Pierre-Bemba who was barred from contesting in the polls.
But a member of the electoral body, CENI, confirms to French broadcaster, RFI, that there is no cause for alarm because they have their own means of communication.
In a statement issued on Monday, a group of western envoys tasked government to refrain from blocking means of communication and also called for observers to have access to result compilation centers.
“We request that the government refrains from blocking means of communication, in particular the internet and the media,” the statement read in part.
— John Murton (JohnMurton)
Almost twenty-four hours after the close of polls, counting continues across the country with very little by way of initial results. CENI had slated January 5 as the date first provisional results will be released.
Already the main competitors in the race are all claiming victory citing unofficial tabulation. Kabila’s preferred successor, Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary, is facing two coalition candidates – Felix Tshisekedi and Martin Fayulu of CACH and Lamuka respectively.
— Tibor Nagy (AsstSecStateAF)
Kabila hails Congolese democratic maturity
The presidency issued a statement from outgoing Joseph Kabila hailing the conduct of Congolese people in the exercise of the civic responsibility.
“At the time when the polls closed on the entire national territory, I wish to pay tribute to the Congolese people for having, in peace and dignity, fulfilled their civic duty.
“By this significant gesture, the Congolese have demonstrated to their own eyes first and to the whole world, their commitment to democracy exercised in the respect of sovereignty,” the statement issued in French read.
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