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DR Congo election candidates refuse to back code of conduct | DR Congo election candidates refuse to back code of conduct |
(about 5 hours later) | |
Opposition candidates in Sunday's election in the Democratic Republic of Congo have refused to approve a statement aimed at reducing tension before the poll. | |
The elections are taking place two years later than scheduled and the run-up has been marred by violence. | The elections are taking place two years later than scheduled and the run-up has been marred by violence. |
Three leading presidential candidates held talks in the capital on Saturday. | |
But afterwards opposition figures Martin Fayulu and Felix Tshisekedi said they would not endorse the peace pact. | |
They said officials had rejected changes they had suggested to the text. | |
With less than a day before the election, there are concerns over groups not being allowed to vote, and over electronic machines being used for the first time. | With less than a day before the election, there are concerns over groups not being allowed to vote, and over electronic machines being used for the first time. |
What's the context for these elections? | What's the context for these elections? |
If everything passes without incident, this will be the first peaceful transition in DR Congo since it gained independence from Belgium in 1960. | If everything passes without incident, this will be the first peaceful transition in DR Congo since it gained independence from Belgium in 1960. |
The current president, Joseph Kabila, took over from his assassinated father Laurent in 2001, but he is barred from running for another term under the constitution. | The current president, Joseph Kabila, took over from his assassinated father Laurent in 2001, but he is barred from running for another term under the constitution. |
He was supposed to step down two years ago, but the election was postponed after the electoral commission said it needed more time to register voters. | He was supposed to step down two years ago, but the election was postponed after the electoral commission said it needed more time to register voters. |
The decision triggered violent clashes, as the opposition accused Joseph Kabila of trying to cling on to power. | The decision triggered violent clashes, as the opposition accused Joseph Kabila of trying to cling on to power. |
Then last week, the election was delayed again, for seven days, because of problems deploying voting materials to polling sites. | Then last week, the election was delayed again, for seven days, because of problems deploying voting materials to polling sites. |
This all came after thousands of electronic voting machines were destroyed in a fire in Kinshasa. | This all came after thousands of electronic voting machines were destroyed in a fire in Kinshasa. |
More on the DRC | More on the DRC |
What's the latest? | What's the latest? |
Three leading candidates and electoral officials met in a Kinshasa hotel on Saturday. | |
Leading opposition candidate Martin Fayulu, a former oil tycoon, had said the aim was to "sign an agreement which ensures we will all behave correctly during an after the electoral process". | Leading opposition candidate Martin Fayulu, a former oil tycoon, had said the aim was to "sign an agreement which ensures we will all behave correctly during an after the electoral process". |
But AFP later quoted Mr Fayulu as saying that he and Mr Tshisekedi, the son of a late long-term opposition leader, wanted amendments and refused to sign the text. | |
This week, voting in three districts was postponed until March, with the electoral commission blaming insecurity and an Ebola virus outbreak. | This week, voting in three districts was postponed until March, with the electoral commission blaming insecurity and an Ebola virus outbreak. |
About 1.2m people will not be able to vote on Sunday as a result, in a country of close to 40m voters. | About 1.2m people will not be able to vote on Sunday as a result, in a country of close to 40m voters. |
The decision in effect cancelled their votes, as the new president is due to be sworn in by mid-January regardless. | The decision in effect cancelled their votes, as the new president is due to be sworn in by mid-January regardless. |
A crowd attacked an Ebola clinic in the east of the country after the announcement. | A crowd attacked an Ebola clinic in the east of the country after the announcement. |
On Saturday, opposition candidate Theodore Ngoy tried to get the constitutional court to hold an emergency session to consider holding the vote in those areas. | On Saturday, opposition candidate Theodore Ngoy tried to get the constitutional court to hold an emergency session to consider holding the vote in those areas. |
But the BBC's Salim Kikeke in Kinshasa says the chances of the election being reinstated there are slim. | But the BBC's Salim Kikeke in Kinshasa says the chances of the election being reinstated there are slim. |
Separately, Mr Kabila gave a round of interviews on Saturday defending the record of a government that has been criticised for corruption and rights abuses. | Separately, Mr Kabila gave a round of interviews on Saturday defending the record of a government that has been criticised for corruption and rights abuses. |
He is backing former Interior Minister Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary in the election. | He is backing former Interior Minister Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary in the election. |
"I firmly believe that everything will be all right on Sunday," he told France's Le Monde newspaper. | "I firmly believe that everything will be all right on Sunday," he told France's Le Monde newspaper. |
Key presidential hopefuls: | Key presidential hopefuls: |
What is the significance of DR Congo? | What is the significance of DR Congo? |
The vast central African state is rich in mineral resources and is the world's leading producer of cobalt, used to power mobile phones and electric cars. | The vast central African state is rich in mineral resources and is the world's leading producer of cobalt, used to power mobile phones and electric cars. |
However, it has high levels of poverty, bad infrastructure, and a political and business elite accused of enriching itself at the expense of the poor. | However, it has high levels of poverty, bad infrastructure, and a political and business elite accused of enriching itself at the expense of the poor. |
It has also been at the centre of what some observers call "Africa's world war", between 1997 and 2003. | It has also been at the centre of what some observers call "Africa's world war", between 1997 and 2003. |
The conflict, which dragged in regional states, claimed up to six million lives, either as a direct result of fighting or because of disease and malnutrition. | The conflict, which dragged in regional states, claimed up to six million lives, either as a direct result of fighting or because of disease and malnutrition. |
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