Fayulu knocks African leaders asking Congolese to accept 'fraud'

Democratic Republic Of Congo

Congolese opposition leader, Martin Fayulu, has slammed African leaders who have congratulated winner of the contentious December 30, 2018 polls.

According to him, the presidents by their actions are encouraging electoral fraud, falsehood and forgery. He also said their actions was a disrespect to the sovereign will of the people.

“To the African presidents who ask (the) Congolese to abide by the decision of the Constitutional Court, I beg them to respect the sovereign decision of the Congolese people who elected me president with more than 60% (valid votes). Do not encourage fraud, falsehood and forgery,” he said in a tweet on Monday morning.

The Constitutional Court in the DRC capital Kinshasa on Sunday ruled on the poll petition brought by Martin Fayulu; throwing it out as one without basis.

The decision confirmed the January 11 provisional results of presidential polls won by Felix Tshisekedi. Fayulu’s Lamuku coalition have rejected the court’s decision and called for peaceful protests.

Meanwhile reports indicate that Tuesday January 22 has been slated as the day of investiture of the new president. Tshisekedi will take over from Joseph Kabila who has been president for the past 18 years.

The regional political bloc, SADC, on Sunday accepted the outcome and congratulated president-elect Tshisekedi. African presidents who have joined the congratulatory wagon include, Tanzania’s John Pombe Magufuli and South Africa’s Cyril Ramaphosa.

Pierre Nkurunziza of Burundi, Kenya’s Uhuru Kenyatta have also extended congrats whiles the Botswana government has said it stood by SADC’s decision.

The African Union, AU, postponed a planned mission to the country after the court ruling. AU had earlier asked that the final results be deferred but the government refused it on grounds of sovereignty.