Locals in Democratic Republic of Congo’s capital on called on electoral officials to reveal the results of Sunday’s chaotic presidential election.
The country’s opposition said on Monday it expected one of its candidates to win the presidential election based on early vote tallies, but the ruling coalition said it was confident its candidate had won the chaotic contest.
Martin Fayulu, one of two major opposition leaders, visited an electoral monitoring centre in Kinshasa as the country waited for clarity.
The competing claims followed a disorderly election day on Sunday in which many Congolese were unable to vote due to an Ebola outbreak, conflict and logistical problems.
After unofficial tallies started to circulate on social media on Monday, mobile internet connections in the capital Kinshasa and other cities slowed down or cut out entirely, residents said, in a possible move by authorities to stop the information from circulating.
On the streets of Kinshasa, locals said they were keen for results and urged restraint from violence.
Government officials could not be immediately reached for comment. Authorities have cut the internet in the past, saying they sought to stop rumours from spreading during protests.
Local resident, Baby Kilolo, says that they want accurate results that are a true reflection of their vote.
“I don’t want to talk about it much, but I would like to call on the CENI (Congo’s National Independent Electoral Commission) to give us the results of what we voted for, so that the CENI may organise something which the Congolese actually want.”
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