A spokesman for a pro-democracy, civil society movement Filimbi called on the Congolese people on Wednesday (January 9) to protest if the electoral commission declared Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary the winner of the presidential election.
Riot police were deployed at the electoral commission’s headquarters in Kinshasa on Wednesday ahead of the expected announcement of a result.
Pre-election polls gave businessman Martin Fayulu a healthy lead but his supporters believe President Joseph Kabila plans to rig the vote in favour of his hand-picked candidate, Shadary, or alternatively to forge a power-sharing pact with Felix Tshisekedi, head of the largest opposition party.
Any widespread perception that the election has been stolen could set off a destabilising cycle of unrest, repeating violence that followed elections in 2006 and 2011, many Congolese fear.