DR Congo President to Be Sworn 

Sudan Events – Sumaya Sayed

The president of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Felix Tshisekedi, is to be sworn in for a second five-year term on Saturday after sweeping elections which the opposition has branded a sham, calling for protests.

With tensions simmering in the vast nation’s volatile eastern provinces, the 60-year-old president known as “Fatshi” picked Kinshasa’s 80,000-capacity Martyrs sports stadium for the ceremony.

The stands were packed well before midday with singing and dancing in full flow awaiting the arrival of what the authorities said would be some 20 invited heads of African states.

Tshisekedi’s first swearing-in, in January 2019, after controversially defeating Joseph Kabila, took place in the gardens of the Palace of Nations, a solemn venue that has traditionally staged important official events.

Tshisekedi is the son of the late historic opposition figure Etienne Tshisekedi.

He became president promising to improve living conditions in the DRC — which boasts mineral riches but has a largely impoverished population of 100 million — and put an end to 25 years of bloodshed in the east.

He has not kept those promises but this time around he campaigned strongly on his first-term achievements such as free primary medication, asking for another mandate to “consolidate” the progress.

More than 40 million people were registered to vote on December 20 for a president, as well as national and regional lawmakers and municipal councillors.

Polling was officially extended by a day to account for multiple logistical snarls and continued for days afterwards in remote areas.

In the end, Tshisekedi officially triumphed with 73.47 percent of the vote.

Moise Katumbi, a former governor of the central region of Katanga, came a distant second with 18.08 percent.

Martin Fayulu, who says he was also robbed at the last presidential vote, garnered five percent.