Logistical issues derailed the vote in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, leading to a chaotic second day of voting in the general elections. Some polling stations did not open on the first day, leading to an unscheduled extension of the vote, which may open the results up to legal challenges, according to opposition candidates and observers. The country, despite its vast mineral reserves, has a history of disputed elections that can turn violent.
President Felix Tshisekedi, running for a second term, faced massive delays in the voting nationwide, leading the head of the commission to declare that people in certain areas would vote on Thursday instead. The vote was mostly peaceful, but there were reports of a polling booth being ransacked in the east and a journalist being assaulted in Kinshasa. Opposition candidate Moise Katumbi claimed to be in the lead based on his team’s own vote count, alleging widespread irregularities in the conduct of the vote.
The former ruling coalition, the Common Front for Congo, called the elections a “genuine shipwreck” of the electoral process and asked its members to stand by for further instructions on actions to be taken. Despite years of economic growth, the country faces high inflation and little job creation, adding to the tension surrounding the elections.