Voting in Sunday’s presidential elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo has been characterized by delays and long queues.
The delays have left many voters frustrated hoping these challenges can be resolved quickly. New electronic voting machines being used have also created some challenges at some polling stations.
About 40 million voters are choosing a new President and lawmakers across the country.
Polls opened at 04:00 GMT and expected to end at 16:00 GMT across the country.
Polls have however been deferred in volatile regions of “Beni and Butembo in North Kivu province as well as Yumbi in the (southwest) Mai-Ndombe province.”
Elections will now take place in these regions in March, 2019, a decision that sparked violent protests ahead of Sunday’s polls.
Beni and Butembo in the east continue to battle with the Ebola outbreak. Yumbi in the west has also witnessed ethnic violence in the past days with more than 100 people reportedly killed.
Final results for Sunday’s presidential election will be announced on January 15 and the new president sworn in on January 18.
#DRCElections Polling stations have opened in eastern #DRC for today’s presidential & parliamentary elections#DRCongo #RDCvote #DRCongoElections2018 pic.twitter.com/uinXfE4viy
— Povo News (@povonewstv) December 30, 2018
Elections in DR Congo were delayed several times. Sunday’s elections could lead to a peaceful transfer of power through an election for the first time in the central African country.
The elections are taking place without President Joseph Kabila which was supposed to ease tension. President Kabila took over as president from his father Laurent who was assassinated in 2001.
#DRCElections #RDCVote These are the paper ballots to open, select candidates and close the vote on the infamous voting machines. Only these print-outs counted by hand will be factored into the official results. pic.twitter.com/QkOKqBhcEz
— giulia paravicini (@giuliaparavicin) December 30, 2018
Key contenders
21 candidates are contesting the presidential elections but there are three key frontrunners.
The ruing coalition is represented by Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary who is a former interior minister. He was backed by outgoing President Joseph Kabila.
The major rival for Shadary is Martin Fayulu from an opposition coalition. Fayulu is a former oil executive and backed by several other opposition leaders hoping to defeat the ruling party.
The third contender is Felix Tshisekedi Tshilombo, the son of a late veteran opposition leader. He refused to back Fayulu after withdrawing from an agreement to back the opposition coalition candidate.
Elections amid tension
The elections have been overshadowed by tension and conflicts. On Saturday the key contenders for the polls refused to sign a peace pact to guarantee peace.
The decision to defer elections in some volatile regions sparked violence after protesters from the opposition attacked an Ebola treatment centre in Beni.
It led to twenty patients being held in a treatment centre fleeing. Conflicts in parts of the country have also not helped douse the tension.
Citizens are hoping Sunday’s elections are held peacefully to close this chapter in the country’s political history.
The first voter, an electoral agent just voted. Others may start in the coming few minutes. #DRC #RDCVote #Congo pic.twitter.com/5GXu77Mf3W
— Gaïus Kowene (@GKowene) December 30, 2018
Source: Africafeeds.com
