A little over 24 hours since Ceni, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) electoral commission, declared Felix Tshisekedi the winner of the December 20 presidential election, Uganda’s President has finally spoken out on the election results – even as Congolese opposition candidates continue to cry foul.
According to results released by Ceni, Tshisekedi polled 73 per cent of the total votes cast ahead of his opponents Moise Katumbi, Martin Fayulu and Denis Mukwege in an election where voter turnout was a little over 40 per cent.
COUP DETAT? FAYULU OPPOSES TSHISEEKEDI ELECTION VICTORY
Candidate Fayulu said the electoral results were a ‘coup d’état’ against the Congolese Constitution.
“I categorically reject the sham elections and the farcical results of Ceni,” said Fayulu in a statement on December 31.
“I ask the Congolese people to protest against this new coup d’état in accordance with article 64 of our Constitution.”
MUSEVENI CONGRATULATES TSHISEKEDI ON ELECTION VICTORY
Now, as the provisional results await confirmation of the Constitutional Court, Museveni has congratulated Tshisekedi on his reelection for a second term in Uganda’s western neighbor.
“Fellow Ugandans and, the fraternal people of the Democratic Republic of Congo; I take this opportunity, on behalf of the Ugandans, to congratulate H.E Felix Tshisekedi on winning the electoral contest in Congo, as announced by the Electoral Commission,” wrote the 79-year-old long serving president.
Referring to Congolese as Uganda’s ‘fraternal’ brothers, Museveni also praised Tshisekedi for leading DRC into the regional bloc, the East African Community (EAC).
Museveni was also happy that Tshisekedi had allowed the Ugandan army into DRC in the fight against the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a terrorist group having its base in Eastern Congo.
“H.E Tshisekedi has positively contributed to the efforts of the region by bringing Congo into the East African Community and by allowing us to work with the Congo Army in dismantling the ADF in Eastern Congo,” added Museveni.
“We look forward to more brotherly cooperation with the People and the government of Congo.”
The ADF killed at least 13 people in two separate attacks in Uganda’s Kamwenge District, prompting the national army to recruit a paramilitary group, the Local Defence Units (LDUs). (See Details Here and There).
(For feedback on this story, send a Whatsapp message on +256(0)705690819 or Email pearltimesug@gmail.com)
