DRC overcomes challenges to hold national elections
Story by Oleen Ndori, Foreign Desk Editor in DRC
THE Democratic Republic of Congo held its elections today despite lengthy delays in the opening of polling stations across the country.
However, according to voters, once the process started, it was smooth and peaceful.
The SADC Electoral Observer Mission (SEOM) says despite the delay in opening of polls, the process has been going well.
A candidate needs a majority of votes in the first round to win in the Presidential race.
President Felix Tshisekedi is seeking a second and final term, running against 20 other candidates.
His main rivals are Moise Katumbi, former governor of Katanga province and a millionaire businessman and 67-year-old Martin Fayulu, a former oil executive who claims to have won the 2018 vote that ushered in President Tshisekedi.
The vote is taking place as violence surges in Eastern DRC, where armed groups along with the resurgence of M23 rebels have made the region unstable and voting not possible.
The country’s electoral law states that the results of the Presidential poll should be announced no later than the 30th of December, with the inauguration of the winner set for the 20th of January 2024.
