DRC Christians anxious over poll result delay

Catholic worshippers in the Democratic Republic of Congo are anxious.

On Sunday, they said they feared violence, after the electoral body announced that preliminary results from the country’s turbulent presidential election will be delayed past Sunday’s deadline.

CENI’s president, Corneille Nangaa, said the commission had received only 47 percent of vote tally sheets as of Saturday.

Raphael Maymba is a Parishioner. “People are waiting for the truth, the people are apolitical and have played their part within this nation and I fear it may degenerate if the CENI doesn’t tell the truth about what the polls say. That is what we are waiting for as a church,” he said.

Tensions rose after the December 30 polls, when observers reported a litany of irregularities that the opposition says are part of the ruling party’s effort to rig the election.

According to LAMUKA opposition coalition campaign manager, Pierre Lumbi, “the LAMUKA coalition is warning the CENI against any attempts to modify the results from the polling stations and will hold it responsible for any consequences that may arise from this situation.”

A CENI spokesman said the commission held a meeting on Sunday to decide when results will be announced.

On Saturday, the United Nations Security Council was divided over how to respond to the DRC election problems.