EU ‘takes note’ of DRC vote result – and objections

Brussels, Belgium | AFP | The European Union said Thursday it had “taken note” of the surprise result of DR Congo’s controversial presidential election — as well as objections by the runner-up that the outcome amounted to a “coup”.

A spokeswoman for the European Commission said the bloc was waiting for clarification from international observers, urging all sides to refrain from violence and warning that the final result must be “in line with the choice of the Congolese people”.

Opposition leader was declared the winner of the hotly contested race to succeed Joseph Kabila as president of the Democratic Republic of Congo, but the announcement by the electoral commission was met with anger from his nearest rival and scepticism from some observers.

“We have taken note of the provisional results of the presidential elections in Democratic Republic of Congo that were announced overnight by the electoral commission,” EU spokeswoman Maja Kocijancic told reporters.

“We have also noted that these results have been contested by part of the opposition. We are also waiting for the reactions of different observation missions that have observed the elections.”

Tshisekedi’s win was immediately denounced by runner-up Martin Fayulu, who slammed the announcement as “an electoral coup”.

The EU struck a more cautious note, with Kocijancic saying it was “important for the credibilty of the process that the results announced are confirmed and supported by the reports from the local compilation of the results”.

“In the meantime we call on all political actors in DRC to abstain from any kind of act of violence and allow for the democratic process to continue,” she said.