Congo rebukes African Union on Vote result suspension; we don’t take lectures from anyone

In what looks like a slap in the face, Democratic Republic of Congo has rebuked the African Union over their call for suspension of declaration of the final results for the December 30 polls.

The African Union (AU) sitting in Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian capital on Thursday asked the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to delay the announcement of its presidential election results.

However, in response, the Congolese government spokesperson Lambert Mende said they cannot take lectures from anyone about what to do in their own country.

"I do not think anyone has the right to tell the court what to do. I am not under the impression (the AU) fully understands Congo's judicial process," Mende told journalists on Friday.

"No country in the world can accept that its judicial process be controlled by an (outside) organisation."

In their statement, the African Union indicated that there were serious doubts on the final results, asking DRC to halt the release.

“The heads of state and attending the meeting concluded that  there were serious doubts on the conformity of the provisional results, as proclaimed by the National Independent Electoral Commission, with the votes cast,” read in part the statement.

“Accordingly, the AU called for the suspension of the proclamation of the final results of the elections.

The Congolese government spokesperson said there is a court process that they would be following to see what to do next, other than taking orders and lectures from outsiders.

He added that they would be waiting for the high level delegation that had been dispatched by the African Union to DRC but insisted there is nothing they will change.

Initial results had indicated that opposition figure Felix Tshisekedi but the results were contested by fellow candidate Martin Fayulu who insists he won the polls.

Fayulu recently challenged the provisional results and the Constitutional Court is set to deliver its verdict before the final results are announced.

Following the announcement of Tshisekedi as the winner of the polls, several African bodies have cast doubt in the results and have since called for a recount.

The Southern African Development Community, SADC, recently called for a recount of the vote and a government of national unity and their call was supported by another African bloc, the International Conference of the Great Lakes Region.

 

 

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