Democratic Republic of Congo’s President Felix Tshisekedi was sworn in for a second five-year term on Saturday after a landslide victory his opponents have refused to recognise due to alleged widespread irregularities in the December general election.
Earlier, supporters of Tshisekedi waited in long lines to attend his inauguration in the capital Kinshasa, exactly one month after the opening of a controversial poll that secured his power for another five years.
Tshisekedi and his party won the December 20-24 general election by a landslide but the vote was marred by widespread allegations of fraud, logistical shortcomings and disruptions.
The two opposition leaders, Martin Fayulu and Moise Katumbi, as well as others have called for a re-run, a demand authorities have dismissed.
The fallout threatens to further destabilise Congo, the world’s third-largest copper producer and the top producer of cobalt, a key component in electric car batteries.
