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DR Congo election: Observers complain of irregularities | DR Congo election: Observers complain of irregularities |
(about 2 hours later) | |
Election observers and the opposition in the Democratic Republic of Congo say Sunday's presidential election was marred by widespread irregularities. | Election observers and the opposition in the Democratic Republic of Congo say Sunday's presidential election was marred by widespread irregularities. |
The Roman Catholic Church's observer team said it had received more than 500 reports of malfunctioning voting machines. | The Roman Catholic Church's observer team said it had received more than 500 reports of malfunctioning voting machines. |
The opposition accused the military of trying to coerce people to vote for the ruling's party's candidate. | The opposition accused the military of trying to coerce people to vote for the ruling's party's candidate. |
President Joseph Kabila insisted the election was free and fair. | President Joseph Kabila insisted the election was free and fair. |
BBC reporters in the capital Kinshasa and in the eastern cities of Goma and Lubumbashi say the internet has not been working since Monday morning. | |
Local observers, Symocel, have urged the government to turn the internet back on, saying it "sends the wrong message". | |
It is unclear whether the government has purposefully ordered the internet to be shut down. Telecoms minister Emery Okundji told the BBC he was unaware of the situation. | |
Mr Kabila is due to step down after 17 years in office, and has promised DR Congo's first orderly transfer of power since it gained independence from Belgium in 1960. | |
Counting is under way and provisional results are expected on 6 January. | Counting is under way and provisional results are expected on 6 January. |
Mr Kabila is backing his former interior minister Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary, who is the ruling's party's candidate. | Mr Kabila is backing his former interior minister Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary, who is the ruling's party's candidate. |
The two main opposition candidates are Martin Fayulu, a former oil executive, and Felix Tshisekedi, the son of the late veteran opposition leader Etienne Tshisekedi. | The two main opposition candidates are Martin Fayulu, a former oil executive, and Felix Tshisekedi, the son of the late veteran opposition leader Etienne Tshisekedi. |
What do observers say? | What do observers say? |
In its preliminary report on the poll, the 40,000-strong observer mission set up by the Catholic Church said there had been more than 100 cases of election monitors being denied access to polling stations. | In its preliminary report on the poll, the 40,000-strong observer mission set up by the Catholic Church said there had been more than 100 cases of election monitors being denied access to polling stations. |
It added that around 20% of polling stations opened late, and there were reports of polling stations being moved at the last minute. | It added that around 20% of polling stations opened late, and there were reports of polling stations being moved at the last minute. |
About 40% of the population in DR Congo is Catholic, and Pope Francis had appealed for a peaceful vote. | About 40% of the population in DR Congo is Catholic, and Pope Francis had appealed for a peaceful vote. |
Local observers Symocel say some of their 20,000 agents were subjected to intimidation and aggression. | |
They were particularly concerned with the lack of secrecy while people voted - reporting that only half the votes were conducted properly behind a booth. | |
What has been the opposition's reaction? | What has been the opposition's reaction? |
Mr Fayulu warned that the irregularities would have a negative impact on the electoral process. | Mr Fayulu warned that the irregularities would have a negative impact on the electoral process. |
In a BBC interview, he also accused the military of "pushing" voters in some areas to cast their ballots for Mr Shadary. | In a BBC interview, he also accused the military of "pushing" voters in some areas to cast their ballots for Mr Shadary. |
An internal UN report said armed rebels in eastern Masisi attempted to intimidate people to vote for Mr Shadary, reports the BBC's Louise Dewast from the capital, Kinshasa. | An internal UN report said armed rebels in eastern Masisi attempted to intimidate people to vote for Mr Shadary, reports the BBC's Louise Dewast from the capital, Kinshasa. |
Mr Tshisekedi accused Mr Kabila's government of creating a "mess" on election day in order to trigger legal challenges that would help the president remain in power. | Mr Tshisekedi accused Mr Kabila's government of creating a "mess" on election day in order to trigger legal challenges that would help the president remain in power. |
"I deplore all the disorder that we hear about," he said. | "I deplore all the disorder that we hear about," he said. |
In a television appearance after voting ended, Mr Kabila praised the electorate for voting "in peace and dignity", AFP news agency reports. | In a television appearance after voting ended, Mr Kabila praised the electorate for voting "in peace and dignity", AFP news agency reports. |
What's the context for these elections? | What's the context for these elections? |
Mr Kabila took over from his assassinated father Laurent in 2001, but he was barred from running for another term under the constitution. | Mr Kabila took over from his assassinated father Laurent in 2001, but he was 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 Mr Kabila of trying to cling on to power. | The decision triggered violent clashes, as the opposition accused Mr Kabila of trying to cling on to power. |
The run-up to the poll was also hit by controversy over the exclusion of some 1.26 million out of an electorate of nearly 40 million from voting. | The run-up to the poll was also hit by controversy over the exclusion of some 1.26 million out of an electorate of nearly 40 million from voting. |
The electoral commission said voting could not take place in the eastern cities of Beni and Butembo because of a deadly Ebola outbreak in the region. Voting was also called off in the western city of Yumbi because of insecurity there. | The electoral commission said voting could not take place in the eastern cities of Beni and Butembo because of a deadly Ebola outbreak in the region. Voting was also called off in the western city of Yumbi because of insecurity there. |
In some areas in the east where the poll was cancelled, activists organised their own election, dubbed "citizen votes". | In some areas in the east where the poll was cancelled, activists organised their own election, dubbed "citizen votes". |
They used ballot boxes from the 2011 elections and printed their own voting papers. | They used ballot boxes from the 2011 elections and printed their own voting papers. |
"We want to show the Ceni [electoral commission] that if they fail to organise elections here because of Ebola, we can do it," organiser Katembo Malikidogo told the BBC. | "We want to show the Ceni [electoral commission] that if they fail to organise elections here because of Ebola, we can do it," organiser Katembo Malikidogo told the BBC. |
What do we know about the candidates? | What do we know about the candidates? |
There are 21 candidates, but three frontrunners: | There are 21 candidates, but three frontrunners: |
More on the key presidential hopefuls | More on the key presidential hopefuls |