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WORLD NEWS Monday 7 January 2019

Congo delays announcing results of presidential election

on social media about who bar 1 million voters in east- calm during and after the
won. The government has ern Congo from casting voting, President Donald
also blocked transmissions ballots because of what Trump said about 80 mili-
from Radio France Interna- it said was the Ebola out- tary personnel and combat
tional, which was alleged break in the region. Eastern equipment had been de-
to have speculated on the Congo is known as a cen- ployed to neighboring Ga-
winner, and revoked the ter of the opposition. bon to protect American
press credentials of RFI’s Western observers were not citizens and diplomatic fa-
correspondent. invited to watch the ballot- cilities in Congo. Ahead of
Election observers and the ing, and the U.S. has threat- the vote, the U.S. ordered
opposition have raised ened sanctions against non-emergency govern-
concerns about voting ir- those who undermine the ment employees and fam-
regularities, including the democratic process. ily members to leave the
government’s decision to While Congo was largely country.q

An exhausted Congolese independent electoral commission
(CENI) official rests as results are tallied for the presidential
election, at a local results compilation center in Kinshasa,
Congo, Sunday, Jan. 6, 2019.
Associated Press
By MATHILDE BOUSSION tion for two years. The post-
SALEH MWANAMILONGO ponement in announcing
Associated Press the winner was seen by
KINSHASA, Congo (AP) — some Congolese as part of
Congo’s government Sun- an effort by Kabila’s party
day postponed the release to manipulate the results in
of the results of last week- order to claim victory.
end’s presidential election, The Catholic Church, an in-
fueling suspicions President fluential voice in this heav-
Joseph Kabila’s ruling party ily Catholic nation, turned
is maneuvering to cling to up the pressure by saying
power. it already knows there is a
No new date for announc- clear victor, based on data
ing the winner of the Dec. compiled by the church’s
30 election was given. 40,000 election observers.
Electoral officials have Because Congo’s regula-
compiled 53 percent of the tions say only the electoral
votes and will not release commission can announce
any information until all the election results, the church
ballots have been tallied, did not name the winner.
said Corneille Nangaa, Congo’s ruling party, which
head of the electoral com- backs Kabila’s preferred
mission. candidate, Emmanuel
“We handle sensitive data Ramazani Shadary, called
and have to handle it re- the church’s statement “ir-
sponsibly,” he said. He responsible and anarchist.”
asked Congo’s people to The leading opposition
“remain patient.” candidate is Martin Fayulu,
“We are aware this pro- a businessman and law-
cess has always been sur- maker.
rounded by distrust,” he This could be Congo’s first
said, referring to calls from democratic, peaceful
the Catholic Church, the transfer of power since in-
African Union, the U.S. and dependence from Belgium
other diplomats for the in 1960.
government to announce For the past week, the
accurate results. government cut off inter-
Kabila, who is stepping net access across the vast
down after 18 years in pow- Central African country to
er, had delayed the elec- prevent any speculation