Churches Demand Inquiry Before Accepting DR Congo Results

The Catholic bishops conference and Protestant churches in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have called for an independent inquiry into the irregularities and alleged legal violations observed during the December general elections.

The presidential election, won by incumbent Felix Tshisekedi with over 73%, has been met with controversy due to delays, malfunctioning machines, and logistical issues.

Also, the groups have monitored polls with thousands of independent observers, and the results of the presidential and legislative vote would only be acceptable if an inquiry was set up.

Opposition candidates have rejected the provisional results, and two formal appeals against the provisional presidential results have been filed before Congo’s constitutional court. The election had over a 40% turnout, with 18 million people voting, according to election chief Denis Kadima.