SUSPICIOUS

Claims of ‘Electoral Coup’ After Shock Opposition Win in Congo Election

Felix Tshisekedi is first opposition challenger to win since the DR Congo gained independence in 1960.

Opposition candidate Felix Tshisekedi has won DR Congo's presidential election, electoral officials say, but opponents and election monitors described the shock victory as an “electoral coup.” If the victory is confirmed, Tshisekedi will be the first opposition challenger to win since the DR Congo gained independence in 1960. But the runner-up, Martin Fayulu, said the results had “nothing to do with the truth” and told the BBC: “The Congolese people will never accept such a fraud... Felix Tshisekedi never got 7 million votes. Where did he get them from?” Fayulu believes the electoral commission and ruling party had made up the figures to give Tshisekedi victory—his team denies the accusations. Fayulu's supporters say Tshisekedi cut a power-sharing deal with outgoing president Joseph Kabila—neither Kabila nor his party (which came third in the vote) have voiced any objection to the result so far. The Catholic Church, which posted 40,000 observers to monitor the election, said the result given by the electoral commission did not correspond with its own findings. Former colonial power Belgium has also expressed doubts about the result.