East African Gazette
Kinshasa
The President of Democratic Republic of Congo President Felix Tshisekedi was on (Saturday) despite his opponents accepting him due to irregularities in the general elections.
President Tshisekedi was sworn at a stadium in the capital Kinshasa attended by government officials, African heads of state and other foreign envoys from France, United States, and China.
A total of 18 African leaders who attended were the Vice President of Uganda Jessica Alupo, former president of Kenya Uhuru Kenyatta and President of Cyril Ramaphosa among others.
“I solemnly swear to defend the constitution and the laws of the Republic, to maintain its independence and the integrity of its territory,” the re-elected president declared before the judges of the Constitutional Court.
Tshisekedi 63 years, member of the Union for Democracy and Social Progress party.
He was welcomed by 26 traditional chiefs from the provinces of the DRC.
Tshisekedi said among the things he is going to focus on in his second term office is unemployment, youth, women and national cohesion.
But last year several opposition leaders condemned the election commission of irregularities that caused the election s to be extended to the second day.Even on the election day the materials arrived late when some voters had already given up
Despite the Commission accepting the irregularities they dismissed allegations the vote was stolen.
President Tshisekedi promised to have better conditions for the citizens and economic opportunities. Tshisekedi alluded that 62% of Congo’s 100 million people live on less than a dollar a day.
“I am aware of your expectations. In this new five-years term we shall create more jobs for our people” He said
He also promised to improve on the defense and security with consultation from the diplomatic circles to ensure Eastern Congo insecurity is resolved for good to allow us increase trade with our neighbours
He was given a 21-gun salute marking his inauguration as the President for the second term.
The Vice President Jessica Alupo arrives for the swearing of the DRC President, Felix Tshisekedi
Rioter flee for their life from the military forces in Easter DRC
In the Eastern city of Beni, protesters set up makeshift barricades in the early hours and burned car tyres, a demonstration that police dispersed without major incident. The rioters lit Car tyres in Eastern city of Goma and other urban centers and they shouted against the commission decision.
However due to the mass deployment of security forces they were overpowered.
But the Congo election-monitoring group CENCO has called the presidential and legislative polls and elections a catastrophe based on observations of fraud, mishandling of election materials, parallel voting, and other issues.
The Commission has said such infractions were limited in scale and did not affect the outcome of the elections, which they say were ultimately free and fair.
The African and Western countries, say this might destabilise globally mineral exportation and to the extent that Tshisekedi’s victory since Congo’s highest court dismissed official challenges.
Presidential candidate and Nobel Peace Prize-winner Denis Mukwege said they cannot accept the outcome of the elections and deplore the indifference and astonishing complacency of international diplomacy.
Mukwege Moise Katumbi, the main challenger and Martin Fayulu, have refused to contest the results in court over the alleged lack of independence of state institutions.
They said the government has rejected their demand for a full re-run of the elections.