DR Congo: AU Chief, Mahamat, doesn’t believe Tshisekedi won pres poll

Moussa Faki Mahamat (L) is chairing a meeting of regional leaders including Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame (R) Credit/BBC

DR Congo: AU Chief, Mahamat doesn’t believe Tshisekedi won pres poll

Amidst controversy trailing the conduct of recent presidential election in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the chairperson of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat, has said “serious doubts” remain over the results of last month’s election, reports AFP news agency.

The other opposition candidate Felix Tshisekedi was declared the provisional winner by the electoral commission.

Another opposition candidate, Martin Fayulu, who believes he won and is demanding a manual recount.

Moussa Faki Mahamat is quoted as saying: “Even if the situation on the ground has been fortunately calm so far, it obviously remains a cause for concern. Frankly, there are serious doubts about the compliance of the results that have been proclaimed.”

He was talking to leaders from South Africa, Zambia, Rwanda, Republic of Congo and elsewhere gathered at a crisis meeting over the vote dispute at the AU’s headquarters in Ethiopia.

Meanwhile, an emergency meeting about the disputed election is being held in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa on Thursday

Leaders from Angola, Chad, Congo, Ethiopia, Namibia, South Africa and Uganda are attending.

The gathering comes as DR Congo’s Constitutional Court hears a petition from opposition candidate Martin Fayulu, who believes he won and is demanding a manual recount.

The other opposition candidate, Felix Tshisekedi, who was declared the provisional winner by the electoral commission, is expected to be inaugurated as president next Tuesday.

The Africa Union’s chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat says the meeting of regional leaders is intended to help with the delicate transition in DR Congo, where Joseph Kabila will be stepping down after leading the country for 18 years.

On Sunday, the southern African regional bloc Sadc said all political leaders should agree a negotiated settlement and form a unity government.

If the court confirms Mr Tshisekedi’s victory, this would be the first orderly transfer of power since the country gained independence from Belgium in 1960.