Court names Congo election's winner

But rival declares himself ‘only legitimate president’ amid vote-rigging claims

Martin Fayulu
Martin Fayulu

KINSHASA, Congo -- Congo's election crisis deepened early today when the Constitutional Court confirmed the victory of Felix Tshisekedi, and runner-up Martin Fayulu promptly declared himself the country's "only legitimate president."

The Constitutional Court rejected claims by Fayulu's supporters that outgoing President Joseph Kabila rigged the vote in favor of the opposition after the ruling party's candidate did so poorly that a Plan B was needed.

The court said Fayulu offered no proof to back his assertions that he had won easily based on leaked data attributed to the electoral commission.

Fayulu urged Congolese citizens to take to the streets to peacefully protest what he called a "constitutional coup d'etat," accusing the court of validating false results.

"It's no secret ... that you have elected me president," he said.

Neither Congolese citizens nor the international community should recognize Tshisekedi, nor obey him, Fayulu added.

The largely untested Tshisekedi, son of the late opposition leader Etienne Tshisekedi, is set to be inaugurated on Tuesday. His supporters who had gathered outside the court cheered.

"It's a shame that Mr. Fayulu wants to stay isolated," Felix Tshisekedi's spokesman, Vidiye Tshimanga, told The Associated Press. He said the two men once had been part of an opposition coalition demanding that Kabila step down.

The new president will need everyone for the reconstruction of the country, Tshimanga said, as the Congolese people have "suffered a lot in recent years."

The court's declaration came shortly after the African Union, in an unprecedented move, asked Congo to delay announcing the final election results, citing "serious doubts" about the vote. It planned to send a high-level delegation on Monday to find a way out of the crisis, fearing unrest spilling across borders of the vast Central African nation.

Congo's government replied that it was up to the courts.

The court turned away Fayulu's request for a recount in the Dec. 30 vote.

Government spokesman Lambert Mende quickly acknowledged the court's decision, congratulating Tshisekedi as Congo's fifth president.

The country of 80 million people, rich in the minerals key to smartphones around the world, is trying to achieve its first peaceful, democratic transfer of power since independence in 1960.

But observers have warned that the court's upholding of the official results could lead to further unrest. At least 34 people have been killed since provisional results were released Jan. 10, the United Nations has said.

The court could have ordered a recount or ordered a new election.

It called unfounded a challenge filed by another candidate, Theodore Ngoy, that objected to the electoral commission's last-minute decision to bar about 1 million voters from the election over a deadly Ebola virus outbreak.

The court said Tshisekedi won with more than 7 million votes, or 38 percent, and Fayulu received 34 percent. However, leaked data published by some media outlets, attributed to the electoral commission and representing 86 percent of the votes, show that Fayulu won 59 percent while Tshisekedi received 19 percent.

Fayulu, a lawmaker and businessman who is outspoken about cleaning up Congo's sprawling corruption, is widely seen as posing more of a threat to Kabila, his allies and the vast wealth they have amassed.

photo

Felix Tshisekedi

A Section on 01/20/2019

Upcoming Events