(DR Congo) Joseph Kabila's election victory sparks fears of violent backlash [View All]

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Source: The Guardian

President Joseph Kabila cruised to victory in elections in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, officials said on Friday, raising fears of a violent opposition backlash. Kabila gained 49% of the vote against 32% for veteran opposition leader Etienne Tshisekedi, the country's election commission announced. Tshisekedi immediately protested.

"It is a totally unacceptable result," his campaign president, Alexis Mutanda, told Reuters. "You can just look around Kinshasa or the rest of the country to see how many people are against these results. The population is totally disoriented."

He said Tshisekedi's UDPS party had not decided on its next move, but had "no faith" in the credibility of the supreme court charged with ratifying the results.

There were reports of unrest in the capital, Kinshasa, with police shooting into the air and firing teargas to break up demonstrations, according to witnesses. A huge security operation put opposition strongholds in the city under lockdown. Kabila, 40, came to power in 2001 when his father, Laurent, who had ousted dictator Mobutu Sese Seko, was shot dead by a bodyguard. Friday's result means the canny political strategist will extend his reign to at least 15 years.

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/dec/09/joseph-kabila-victory-backlash-fears