KINSHASA, Congo — Police in Congo’s capital Kinshasa on Tuesday dispersed a small protest by supporters of the opposition party Movement for the Liberation of the Congo (MLC), who disputed the provisional results of the December legislative election.
Around 50 MLC activists briefly took to the streets on Tuesday morning, setting tires on fire and chanting slogans critical of the electoral commission. Police moved in, beating some protesters and arresting others, a Reuters reporter said.
The protesters said the composition of the National Assembly did not reflect the MLC’s true performance in the election. The party is led by Defence Minister Jean-Pierre Bemba, an ally of re-elected President Felix Tshisekedi and a member of the ruling coalition.
Tshisekedi’s UDPS party won 69 seats in the December parliamentary election, up from 35 in the 2018 election, placing it ahead of more than 40 other parties. The MLC won 19 seats, compared to 17 in 2018, according to the provisional results announced this week.
A Disputed and Delayed Election
The legislative vote was held alongside the presidential election, which saw Tshisekedi secure a second term with a landslide victory over his main rival, former Prime Minister Martin Fayulu.
However, the opposition and some independent observers have denounced the election as fraudulent and called for a re-run, a demand that the authorities have dismissed.
The election was marred by allegations of fraud, widespread logistical setbacks, and other irregularities. Several polling stations were unable to open due to violence, insecurity, or lack of materials.
The announcement of the results was also delayed by several weeks, raising tensions and suspicions among the population and the international community.
A Fragile Coalition and a Volatile Country
The fallout from the vote threatens to further destabilize Congo, the world’s third-largest copper producer and the top producer of cobalt, a battery component needed for the green energy transition.
The country of 90 million people has been plagued by decades of conflict, poverty, and corruption, and faces multiple security and humanitarian challenges, including armed groups, ethnic violence, and an Ebola outbreak.
Tshisekedi’s ruling coalition, known as the Sacred Union, held over 390 seats in the outgoing legislature, but divisions within the alliance could jeopardize the majority he needs to name a new government and implement his agenda.
A senior MLC member, who did not wish to be named, said he believed the number of seats that the MLC had officially won was too low, but that the party did not endorse the protests.
The results of the legislative vote followed the Constitutional Court’s confirmation of Tshisekedi’s re-election in the disputed Dec. 20-24 general election.
A Hope for Change and Peace
Despite the controversy and the challenges, many Congolese hope that the election will mark a new era of democracy and development in their country, which has never experienced a peaceful transfer of power since its independence from Belgium in 1960.
Tshisekedi has pledged to fight corruption, improve public services, and reform the security sector. He has also reached out to his opponents and civil society groups, promising to foster dialogue and national unity.
Some analysts say that Tshisekedi’s strong mandate and popularity could give him the leverage to push for reforms and address the root causes of the country’s instability.
However, they also warn that he will need to balance the interests and expectations of his diverse coalition partners, the opposition, and the international community while facing resistance from entrenched elites and spoilers.
Source: Reuters
