Supporters of Congo’s newly re-elected president, Felix Tshisekedi, waited in long lines on Saturday (January 20) 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 Dec. 20-24 general election’s 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.
Meanwhile, opposition leaders, Martin Fayulu and Moise Katumbi have called for a protest this Saturday, when President Tshisekedi is due to be sworn in for a second term.
