24 hours after analyzing requests to annul the results of the presidential election, the Constitutional Court of the Democratic Republic of Congo delivered its verdict. In a judgment rendered this Tuesday, January 9, the Court confirmed the results proclaiming Felix-Antoine Tshisekedi President of the Republic.
According to the Constitutional Court, Felix Tshisekedi, independent candidate in the presidential election, obtained 73.47% of the votes cast. The Court, however, took note of the cancellation of votes in the constituencies of Yakoma and Masimanimba.
This decision comes after a hearing held the day before in which the Constitutional Court heard the parties involved, including the applicants Théodore Ngoy Ilunga and David Mpala, as well as Felix Tshisekedi’s lawyers and experts from the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI).
Theodore Ngoy Ilunga’s application was deemed admissible but unfounded, while that of David Mpala was declared inadmissible due to lack of quality.
The confirmation of the results by the Constitutional Court paves the way for the swearing-in of Felix Tshisekedi, scheduled for January 20 before the judges of the same Court. However, the election was marred by numerous accusations of irregularities and fraud, which sparked protests from some opposition candidates, such as Moïse Katumbi and Martin Fayulu.
Despite these challenges, the main opposition candidates did not refer the matter to the Constitutional Court, considering it biased and close to the power in place.
This decision by the Constitutional Court therefore marks a decisive step in the electoral process in the Democratic Republic of Congo, but also raises questions about the legitimacy of the result and the confidence placed in the institutions responsible for organizing the elections.
It remains to be seen what the next steps will be for the country and how this decision will be received by the Congolese population and the international community. One thing is certain, the presidential election in the DRC continues to make headlines and spark passionate debates. The rest of the country’s political history promises to be full of twists and turns.